Fated To Love You
by Pandansca
Summary: A.K.A.: I can't name a fanfiction to save my life. Noctis, a pure-blooded alpha, has an arranged mating with his childhood friend and alpha Lunafreya. But when it comes down to it, Noctis just isn't prepared to face his future. An unexpected run-in with a charismatic boy named Prompto has Noctis torn. Good thing Prompto is a beta! He is... right?
1. Preface

In this world, there are alphas, betas, and omegas.

Alphas are the elite. They have the power to command attention and bend wills to any who are beneath them in rank, if they so please. They go into what are called "ruts", where they have the intense urge to mate and produce offspring. The amount of ruts an alpha has per year varies between each alpha. During a rut, the chance of producing offspring is increased. Ruts for alphas only last one day. During a rut, pheromones are released. The pheromones effect all ranks, but Omegas are the most effected.

Omegas are the bottom tier. They go into "heats" every 3 months consistently. During a heat, the chance of producing offspring is increased. Heats for an omega varies between omegas and can last anywhere from a day to a week. During a heat, pheromones are released. The pheromones effect all ranks, but alphas are affected the most.

Betas are the middle class. They can release pheromones, but these pheromones are not as near as powerful as that of the alpha and beta. This is because betas do not struggle to produce offspring with each other, and biologically have less of a need to go into ruts or heats. Even so, betas can be influenced by an alpha's or omega's pheromones to mate.

If two alphas are together, producing offspring would be incredibly difficult. Birthrate between alphas are 5%. If a child is born, it will always be an alpha. If an alpha mates with a beta, the birthrate would be the same. That child would have a 70% chance of being a beta and a 30% chance of becoming an alpha.

Likewise, if two omegas were to try to produce offspring, the results would be the same at 5%. The offspring of 2 omegas would be an omega. If an omega were to mate a beta, the results would be the same at 5%. The offspring between an omega and a beta would have a 70% chance of being a beta and a 30% chance of becoming an omega.

If two betas were to try to produce offspring, the birthrate would be incredibly successful at 50%. Betas are biologically better compatible for making children with other betas. Therefore there are more betas in the world than others. 95% of children from betas become betas, while a rare 5% of all beta children become alphas or omegas.

If an alpha and an omega were to reproduce, the birthrate would be incredibly successful at 50% regularly and 100% while in heat/rut. The offspring of an alpha and omega would have a 50% chance of becoming one or the other.

Alphas, betas, and omegas do not get married, they "mate". Once you mate, you are mated for life. In order to mate, the couple bite each other in a special place to mark and claim one another.

In this world, all genders can become pregnant. That's just how it is!

This world differs from a lot of other a/b/o fan fiction in a couple of ways, with one of the most noticeable differences being the lack of a "knot". Not gonna lie, I just wanted them all to have regular dicks.

I have yet to come up with a suitable name for this fic, seeing as I'm only into a bit past the first chapter. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them! Until then, it is what it is!

With this in mind, Happy reading!


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Noctis was losing his hearing, he was sure of it. Not just his hearing, but possibly his mind as well.

His father was only a few feet away from him at the other end of the table, munching on another cut of Ignis' famous omelets with a side of toast, and giving his son that _look_. That look that clearly said, _'You didn't hear a single word I just said, did you?_ '. Maybe he wasn't just mentally saying it, but actually saying it? He wasn't really sure. Maybe Noctis was losing his sight as well?

Noctis could absolutely see his father's lips moving; could absolutely know deep inside of him that the words were hitting his brain. But instead of sinking in they just started falling straight to the floor in a jumbled clutter. He just couldn't process what had left the king's lips moments before. His father continued staring him down with a mild irritation etched into his aging face and the scent of frustration rolling off of him and suddenly every other thing in the room that wasn't his father needed Noctis' undivided attention.

Was this new china? Did he always have that freckle on his wrist? What sort of training does he have planned for today with Gladio? What meal would Ignis cook up for dinner tonight? How long has it been since his last rut, again?

Noctis was sure he was a poor excuse of an alpha. And a _royal_ alpha, at that. He was sure that's what his father was thinking as well. Ages and ages of pure alpha blood in him and this is where the lineage ends up; A lazy alpha who would much rather go fishing or goof off with his friends than sit up straight and do his studies and attend his father's kingly conferences with other kings and ambassadors. Nineteen years old and still no closer to really grasping the concept of what it means to be King one day and everything that it entails.

A great deal of the blame could be put on Regis, naturally. But after the queen died when Noctis was just a young boy, Regis didn't have it in him to be the stern parental figure and see his son so upset every day, especially since he was an only child. He tried to give him a good balance of work and play. Shortly after the queen's death, the king's own health began to deteriorate as well and a large bulk of the responsibility of raising the future king fell on Ignis' shoulders when Ignis himself was only a few years older than Noctis.

"Noctis, sit up straight. And close your mouth when you eat. You look like a carp."

A not-so-light smack to the back of the head seemed to be just what Noctis needed for his brain to jump-start his processing ability and that's exactly what Ignis gave him. Noctis' best friend and royal advisor cleared the prince's long-forgotten and mostly uneaten meal and gave him that _look_. That _Ignis_ look. The one that screamed ' _I'm your dearest friend. And I love you. But, dear Six, PLEASE act like you weren't raised in some animal pin! I've practically acted as your stand-in mother, and you make me look bad by association!'_ loud and clear. Oh, yes. Noctis knew that look all too well. He probably received it at least twice a day.

For a beta, Ignis could be terrifying at times. No one in the castle dared to challenge him when he got riled up about things. He often got mistaken for being an alpha when he was around Gladio and Noctis, but it never seemed to bother the man. Noctis wondered how he does it. Any other beta that had to keep up with, look after, and guide this pitiful excuse of a prince would have pulled all their hair out and quit ages ago. But Ignis seemed to have been born for the job and took it incredibly seriously. Not to mention he was an incredible cook and often went the extra mile to also prepare the prince's meals most days, carefully balancing everything Noctis needed to grow up healthy and strong, much to Noctis' distaste. Noctis can't ever recall a time that Ignis was never by his side when he needed the man. He really might as well call himself Noctis' mother at this point.

"S-Sorry, Iggy." Noctis mumbled his apologies half-heartedly as Ignis walked out of sight with the dirty dishes.

If he cared to listen hard enough, the prince would almost hear Ignis call "And don't mumble, you're a prince! Not a schoolboy!" from over his shoulder as he disappeared into the kitchen.

…Almost.

With a sudden start, Noctis swallowed a painfully large amount of barely-chewed omelet down his throat, remembering the unbelievable thing Regis had suggested to him earlier before Noctis's brain shit the bed. He shifted his attention toward his father.

"Wait. Dad. About earlier- you're serious?"

Regis smiled warmly. "Well, of course I'm serious, son. I thought you'd be happy about it! You two got along quite well as children, if I recall. Surely, there's no objections. I fondly remember you coming up to your mother and I, announcing that you were going to make Lunafreya your mate someday. Why not make it official? Your twentieth birthday is coming up in a mere few months! At that time, you will be of age to take the throne once I leave this world. A marriage to Lady Lunafreya would solidify our two nations together like no other bond could, and that's a one-up you'll want once you take my place. It's a wise choice, my son."

Noctis scoffed and tried to will down the heat that was flooding his cheeks. "Dad. We were _kids_! Kids say dumb things! Besides, I haven't even seen Luna in person since I was six!" The two nations had a falling out years ago that had never been fully patched up, and the price and oracle's friendship had ended up as a distant memory as a result. "I don't know a single thing about her anymore, dad... I don't know what she looks like, I don't know what her interests are, I don't even know if she remembers me! What if we don't like each other? Shouldn't I get a say in who I mate, anyways?"

"Noctis. She's royalty as well as an oracle! Not to mention, an alpha. She's the perfect choice to continue our bloodline. You won't find another alpha princess for miles upon miles around! Not to mention another who is around your age, and whom you already _know_... Who knows when you'll find another like her? I may be well inside my own _tomb_ before that happens, and I won't have it. I want to ensure the future of the Caelum bloodline before I'm only a remnant of it."

Noctis slumped down in his chair. ' _He's right'_ , his mind begrudgingly agreed, despite the pounding of his heart. If he was going to mate, he was lucky to be able to do it with Luna and not some random girl who may be a great deal older or younger than him. But despite how much sense it made, the thought of suddenly taking a mate and jump-starting his future left him anxious and full of dread at best. He was still young! There was still so many things he wanted to do! ' _Like, maybe actually fucking someone_ before _taking a mate with no_ experience'. Most kids his age only had to worry about a job or college or something, not running an entire kingdom and starting a family.

"I'll… think about it, dad." He still had a few months before his birthday. Plenty of time to blow it off and procrastinate himself becoming an official adult.

As if his father could read his mind, the king retorted, "No. No thinking. It has already been decided. You will depart later this afternoon to Altissia, where they are throwing a celebration on the two of your behalf. All the news reporters will be there to cover the event. You _will_ attend that party and publicly announce your intentions to mate Lady Lunafreya after your twentieth birthday, Noct."

Noctis' heart leapt inside of his throat. " _Today_?! Dad- Come on. At least let me have some time to-"

Regis levelled the prince with a stern look and Noct was overcome with the king's strong alpha influence, heavy and unwavering, demanding his son's compliance.

Noctis lost the battle.

"…Yes, sir."

 **…**

Noctis unceremoniously threw himself onto his bed and let out a heavy groan.

A sigh, and then, "Come now, Noctis. That's not a very princely behavior…" Ignis scrutinized and Noctis only let out an even louder, longer groan in protest, burying his face in the pillows.

Normally at this time Noctis would be in his element and sparring with Gladiolus in the large training room. Instead, he was procrastinating getting primped and dressed up in his noble attire before their departure to Altissia. Ignis had already begun pilfering through the prince's expansive wardrobe, plucking many suits and uniforms that the advisor deemed suitable and laying them out for Noctis' selection.

Noctis hated wearing his noble clothes.

Gladiolus laughed heartily and smacked Noctis on the back with a large, strong hand. He opted for sitting on the edge of his prince's bed to watch his tantrum with a front-row seat. Noct didn't even flinch.

"Honestly, I don't see what the big deal here is, kiddo. Lady Luna is a babe. I'd mate her in a heartbeat! Bite that soft, sweet, noble neck of hers and ride that slim, curvy, oracle body until she's calling the names of all The Six and I- "

" _Gladiolus Amicitia!_ "

"Aww, come on, Iggy. I'm just saying! Noctis has got it made! I don't see anyone _else_ in this room getting laid!" Gladio raised both hands in defense at Ignis' glare. "Well, I mean, _I_ get plenty. I'm a damn good-looking man, and an alpha, to boot. You think these muscles are just for fighting?" The prince's shield flexed and plastered on a wide grin. "These are mate-holding arms. Girls can't resist me!"

Noctis chuckled into his pillow and cracked an eye open in time to see Ignis smack the shield on the back of his head as he did Noct's earlier that morning. Gladio just laughed, pleased with the older man's reaction.

"You're just jealous, Iggy. You've never so much as touched a girl, let alone kissed one."

"What-?!- I-! It's none of your business, you oversized brute! but if you _must_ know, I've had my schoolboy romances back in the day. And I am certainly _not_ without experience, I _assure_ you." The entire room could smell as well as see Ignis's embarrassment as his face turned a lovely shade of cherry red. The man adjusted his glasses before turning to resume his duty.

Despite himself, Noctis gave a small smile. His friends were still the same after all these years. He couldn't help but reminisce to the time when he first presented as an alpha.

Noctis had presented as an alpha at a younger age than most. Most people begin presenting at the age of 15 or 16. When Noctis first presented, he was only 13 years old. He hazily recalled himself waking up in a cold sweat and noticing that the world around him was suddenly all the same but entirely different at the same time. His sense of smell was acutely heightened. Everyone suddenly had a very specific smell and they all smelled unique and different. He was suddenly able to, after a short while, tell someone was coming down a hall or into his room without even needing to see them; knowing just by that person's smell alone what their emotions were, even.

He learned about his ability to influence others with just a mere tone of voice and specific scent. His father had caught him many times using that gift to convince Margerie, one of the castle's dearest and longest cooks, to give him desert whenever the little devil of a prince pleased. There was one time even, when Noctis used his alpha influence to convince Ignis to let him take the regalia out for a joy ride at night, and they had gotten ambushed by a large daemon that appeared from a thick black tar in the middle of the road. Ignis, thankfully, was able to take the wheel and escape, but not without Noctis getting a devastating blow to the head by the beast. The prince ended up in the hospital and would not wake up for a long time afterwards.

When Noctis had finally opened his eyes, Ignis, Gladiolus, and King Regis were by his side and Ignis had pulled him into a tight embrace, blaming himself for what happened and sobbing into Noctis' hospital gown for what felt like forever. It broke Noctis' heart in the worst way.

Noctis never used his alpha influence since then, and intended to keep it that way.

When he fell into his first rut, he remembered a very embarrassed and flustered Ignis teaching him how to take care of it since his father was away at the time and could not teach the boy himself. Ignis had taught him what his ruts were; what they meant and why he was having them. Gladiolus had derailed Ignis' highly vague sex education talks immediately afterwards with one of his own, filling the young prince with lots of dirty, messy, sexy details that Ignis had skirted around and that no thirteen-year-old should have been opened up to so soon, as well as highly embellished stories of Gladiolus' own romantic trysts.

"If you want her so much Gladio, then take my place. I'd rather stay here and play King's Knight, anyways." The prince shifted from his face-first position in the blankets to instead rest on his side, pulling his phone out of his pocket and starting up said game.

"Sorry, kid. I don't think I'd fit into your puny clothes… Besides, everyone would suspect when they realize you suddenly got about ten times more handsome overnight." Gladio barely missed the pillow that was thrown at his smug face.

"Noct, is the thought of mating Lady Lunafreya _that_ upsetting? She really is a lovely woman. And I don't mean that just in the physical sense. She's the oracle, so we must assume her thoughts and feelings are just as pure white and warm as her outward appearance is. One must be pure and selfless to be an oracle. The Six chose her, so I don't think you should fear her." The advisor finally settled on one outfit and laid it out next to the prince on his bed.

"It's just-. Ugh. I mean. It isn't _her_ , specifically... I just feel like I'm not living my own life, you know? I feel like everything is being decided for me and that I have no say in it at all. Once I turn twenty, everything is going to change…" Noctis stared at the screen of his phone but the images were a blur.

"Well, of course things will change, Noct. Everything changes eventually. Nothing ever stays the same. But you know what? There's one thing that will always be the same no matter what you do."

"And what's that?" Noctis inquired of his shield.

"You're gonna have us. Right here by your side. Picking on you, telling you what to do, and silently judging you all the years of your life. Just like we are right now."

"Agreed."

"Gee, thanks Gladio. Thanks, Ignis." Noctis laughed lightly and let out a small sigh before finally deciding to stand up and take his fancy clothes with him to his bathroom. Using his best Ignis impression, he called, "I'd better shower for my Lady, lest I fall out of her favor."

His stomach was still in knots and his heart felt like it might just fly right out of his chest and into a less stressful flesh prison, but knowing that his best friends would always be with him gave him a well-needed boost.

Gladio and Ignis shared amused expressions as their prince disappeared into his grand bathroom, the large doors shutting softly behind him.

"I don't think I sound like that at all."

"It was spot-on, if you ask me. Could have sounded like the stick was shoved a _little_ deeper into his ass, but otherwise I'd give it a ten outta ten."

Ignis rolled his eyes, but his face hid no affection for his friend's antics. "I worry about him, Gladio… Do you think he will be okay tonight? He's not exactly the best at public speaking."

"Eh, the kid will be fine. Although if I were you, I'd be more worried about his awful dancing skills. Our prince isn't exactly light on his feet." Gladio stared at Ignis for a long moment before quickly adding, "1,000 gil and a week's worth of chores says he completely loses it before the first hour of that party goes by."

Ignis mulled the bet over in his mind before smiling devilishly at the muscular man, "I'm not usually one for bets, but I have a particularly good feeling about tonight. You're on, good sir."


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Noctis stepped out of his lavish bathroom after an hour of trying to get his hair to do _something_ like a normal style. Needless to say, it didn't work. With a huff, he turned to look at himself in his full-body mirror. The prince had to admit, he looked pretty sharp.

The future king had on his most formal royal raiment. A silk, long-sleeved black dress shirt, buttoned up to the collar and complimented with a black tie with thin, white lines falling through it in a diagonally striped pattern. A smooth black jacket overlapped it all, held closed by silver buttons adorning the Caelum family crest. Sleek black pants covered his legs down to black dress shoes.

Noct had never been one for wearing lots of colors.

" _Very_ nice, if I do say so myself, Noctis. I'm sure you will have Lady Lunafreya swooning over you in no time. Could use a bit more color, though... Perhaps some blue…? But, nevertheless, a flattering image all the same."

Ignis himself had opted for wearing his usual attire, seeing as the man was always formally dressed. A deep purple dress shirt, only the top button undone and showing a glimpse of collarbone, and tucked into even deeper purple pants, a black jacket laid loosely over the top. A black leather belt and dress shoes accented the ensemble, and of course the advisor kept his gun inside of it's holster concealed partly beneath the jacket.

"Nicest I've seen him look _ever_. Didn't know it could be done!" Gladio grinned with his hands on his hips and chest puffed out, making him seem even larger than he already was.

Noctis scoffed as he gave Gladiolus a once-over. The shield didn't look much different than he normally did, the only difference complimenting his short-sleeved leather jacket and long leather pants being a bluish-grey tank top that swooped low, revealing a great deal of Gladiolus' large pecks. With a sharp look to Ignis, he whined, "How come Gladio doesn't have to get dressed up? That is so unfair!"

Ignis merely ignored his prince's pouting and went to straighten the boy's tie a bit. "Trust me, Noctis. That _is_ dressed up for him. We should be lucky he even added that tank top at _all_ …"

Noctis shot the muscular man a glare, but Gladiolus just smirked. "I busted out of all of my formal clothes a loooong time ago, kid. I decided it was a waste of money to buy more. Besides, clothes would only prevent my movement if I need to swing a sword and save your scrawny ass from the daemons."

Noctis was about to retort, but Ignis gave him another one of his famous looks and he opted to keep quiet. ' _You win this round, big guy…'_

"Well, without further delay, let's be on the move." Ignis glanced at his wristwatch. "It's a two-hour drive to Galdin Quay, and then another 4 hours by boat from there."

Gladio clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Damnit… I forgot that Altissia was water-locked. This is gonna suck."

"If I have to suffer through this, so do you, big guy." This time it was Noctis' turn to smirk. Gladiolus wasn't very good on boats or in water, and he was often bed-ridden with seasickness during long boat rides. It never ceased to make the prince laugh and taunt the large man endlessly.

"With you? I'm always suffering!" Gladiolus pulled a distraught Noctis in for the worst noogie he would ever receive.

"Hey! Gladio- stop! You're messing up my hair!"

"What was that? I can't hear you!"

"Damn it, Gladio, you're an alpha! I know damned well you could hear a pen drop from half a mile away if you wanted to!"

"You're point?"

Ignis cut through Gladiolus' deep laughter with a loud cough, drawing the attention of the larger man and the young prince. "If you are _quite_ through with your tom-foolery, I suggest we get going before the last ferry departs and the prince is a no-show to his own party…"

Gladiolus reluctantly let go of Noctis and made a show of sauntering out of the bedroom. "But of course, my good sir. Wouldn't want to keep the Lady waiting." Gladio called out in his best Ignis impression from behind him.

Noctis grumbled something about "dumb alpha jerk" as he tried to fix his hair and straighten his outfit, slowly following in his shield's footsteps and through the door.

Ignis was the last one to leave, closing the doors behind them and calling out in a frustrated voice, "And for the last time, I do _not_ sound like that!"

"Could have fooled me!"

A deep sigh, and then, "Blessed Six, _please_ give me the strength to get through this night in one piece…"

…

They made it to the ferry right on time around 4:00pm sharp, walking through the bustling boardwalk and attached restaurant and lodgings. The sun wasn't long from setting now, the gorgeous orange and pink hues covering the sky and being reflected on the water's surface. Noctis tried to procrastinate their departure even longer buy suggesting they eat something, but Ignis shut the suggestion down immediately with the reminder that he'd be late to the party in Altissia by at least an hour, and that it would not make him look good in the eyes of his future people.

"Boarding passes out, everyone." Ignis called, and they got in line behind the other patrons.

"Oops. I seem to have lost mine." Came Noctis' best voice of innocence between his retainers.

"Nice try, Noctis. I had already purchased a back-up pass beforehand, foreseeing this little trick of yours. I've been by your side far to long to be fooled this easily. And I expect to be repaid as soon as we hit land again."

Gladio groaned at the sight of their ferry gently swaying in the water. "Wish I'd left _my_ boarding pass…"

"Come now, Gladiolus. Be a man and tough it out for the good of Insomnia."

They each gave their passes to an attendant in a booth, Ignis giving the man Noctis' pass as well as his own, and they pushed their way through the mechanical gate to gain entry to the large boat. Noctis took to walking towards one of the window seats, staring out the window and into the crystal-clear waters, wishing with every fiber of his being that he was fishing instead of heading towards his doom. Ignis sat beside him and Gladiolus took the aisle seat, needing to be close enough to any path towards the bathrooms in case the urge to vomit was too great to sustain. Once all the other passengers were seated and comfortable, a female attendant briefly described what to do in the case of an emergency, where the life vests were, where the lifeboats were located, and then finally the snack and drink menu and arrival time.

The prince happily tuned it all out as he imagined being a fish instead of the future king of Insomnia.

"Hmm… They have quite the drink selection. Shall I order us a round of champagne to calm the nerves?"

Gladiolus barely held back a gag. "Please, Iggy. No disgusting dead grape juice. I don't think my stomach would be able to handle it. I'll keep my nerves right where they are, thanks."

Ignis chuckled and called an attendant to their aisle. "Fine, then. Just a round for Noctis and I."

"I dunno, Iggy... I'm not feeling too thirsty or hungry right now…"

"Nonsense, this is a special occasion. Just relax."

After a short while, the glasses were handed down and Ignis thanked the woman, who blushed out a "Our pleasure, sir." Before bowing and moving on to her next task. Ignis sipped his drink in long, smooth gulps and Noctis just stared into the carbonated alcoholic beverage for a long while before deciding to down the entire glass in all of one second. Ignis raised an eyebrow in response to his prince's actions but otherwise stayed silent. He would take his small victories as they came. After another long while, the same attendant came to collect the empty glasses, gently brushing her hand over Ignis's own and letting it linger there a short second before bowing again and moving on. Gladiolus watched the attendants move up and down the aisle repeatedly and felt the back-and-forth swat of the ship and suddenly there was too much movement and he excused himself before sprinting towards the bathrooms, almost knocking over a few people as he ran by.

"I do hope Gladio doesn't get vomit on his clothes… We need to look our best tonight."

"What's the worst that can happen, he loses the tank top? Wouldn't make much difference."

"Hmm.. I suppose you're right. Remind me to find him a custom tailor when we get home. He needs a new wardrobe like no other."

Noctis shifted in his seat and decided to change the subject off clothes. "That girl seemed to like you, Iggy."

"Yes, it seems so."

"If Gladio saw it, he'd be picking on you. He'd probably be jealous, too."

Ignis let out a chuckle to that statement. "I dare say, he just might." Ignis picked up the scent of distress suddenly, over the scents of the other passengers on the ferry and he looked at Noctis, slumped in his chair with knuckles white from gripping the arm rests. "What are you thinking about, Noct?"

"Iggy, I'm going to bomb this event so bad... I'm terrible at public speaking. And how am I supposed to announce that Luna will be my mate, when I don't even know her anymore? What if I get there, and I can't even tell which one of those girls is her? I'm gonna look like a joke!"

"I'm sure that won't happen, Noct. She'll stand out in some way or another, I assure you. And if you don't know what to say, just use this trick: pretend you are King Regis when you make your speech. We both know your father never says things in a bad fashion. That seems to always help me when _I_ have to make public speeches."

Noct rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Oh, _sure_. Be my _dad_. When I am nothing like my dad. Good one, Ignis." Ignis didn't respond, he merely shrugged. "What if I don't like her anymore? What if she doesn't like _me_ anymore? What if I get on the dancefloor with her and I step on her foot and break a toe or something? This is the worst thing that could ever happen to me…"

"Fret not, my prince. I have heard Lunafreya on the radio, addressing the people and healing the sick. She seems to be a very kind, selfless woman. I'm sure she will like you just fine. Try not to think about it. Just let it come naturally."

"Hmph…"

Gladio reappeared to throw himself into his seat, clutching his stomach and looking weak and green in the face. "How much longer until we reach Altissia...?", came his weak voice that sounded foreign in Noctis' ears.

Ignis checked his wristwatch. "We've only bee sailing for half an hour now, so… a little over three hours."

The shield groaned loudly and leaned forward in his chair, resting his head on the back of the chair in front of him. Now there were two strong scents of dread in the air. Ignis struggled not to feel the same, being sandwiched between the strong emotional influences. It wasn't much, but Ignis let out a calming scent to his two alphas in an attempt to ease their worries, if only for a little while. He feared the entire ferry would be influenced by the shift in emotional atmosphere if they weren't careful. He heard the two audibly sigh and felt their gratitude.

This was going to be a long boat ride, indeed.

…

The stars had lit up the sky and gleamed spectacularly overhead as the boat finally departed its passengers onto Altissia soil. The trio carefully departed, Gladio shuffling behind them, still barely holding onto the contents of his stomach.

"I say we stay overnight after this party. There's no way I'm getting back on that boat."

"Done and done. Lady Lunafreya's castle should more than suffice. I'm sure her family will have no qualms with us staying the night, considering the circumstances of this event."

Gladio smiled at Ignis like he had just seen a God. "Bless you, Ignis. You're the best." The shield visibly relaxed with this knowledge, but Noctis reeled back, eyeing his advisor with utter shock.

"Wait. We're staying the whole _night_?! When were you planning on telling me this, Ignis?!"

Ignis wordlessly signaled a limo to the curb where they stood and opened the door to let his company inside. "I wasn't. I didn't deem it as necessary information, and it wouldn't have done any good in calming your nerves. But, there you have it."

The three of them got inside and Ignis closed the door behind them. "You suck, Ignis." Noct mumbled.

A seemingly better Gladiolus crossed his arms over his chest as he stared out of his tinted window at the bustling city around them. "Cheer up, Noct. It's not like you have to talk and dance with people in your sleep, too, so it's fine. This changes nothing. Still business as usual."

' _Business as usual…_ ' The prince repeated those words over and over in his head as the limo crept closer and closer to Altissia's castle, the grand building seeming to glow in the darkness as bright the aura of a God. He could hear the clicking of shutters and see the flashing lights of hundreds of cameras as the limo slowed to a stop in front of the castle. He could hear the various talking and commotion of the news crews as well as guests as the door to the limo was opened and they all stepped out.

This was anything _but_ business as usual.


	4. Chapter 3

"Price Noctis! Prince Noctis! What's the meaning behind this grand ball tonight? And why are you here, for the first time in several years, with no apparent reason?"

"Prince Noctis, over here! What are your thoughts on the growing Daemon populations outside city limits? What do you intend to do about it?"

"Hey, Prince Noctis! How much longer do you think your father has left before his inevitable death, leaving you the throne?"

"You still have room for one more retainer. Who will it be?"

"Noctis, you're an alpha who hasn't taken a mate yet. Why is that?"

The questions bombarded Noctis much like the flash photography had just a split second before the reporters gathered around their limo at the sight of the Prince of Insomnia and his retainers. This party was obviously pre-planned to spread news of the not-yet-announced union as soon as it happened. Clearly the king of Insomnia's work. Possibly the work of the queen of Altissia, Lunafreya's mother, as well.

The flashing lights left lasting imprints in Noctis' brain and he wanted to puke from all of the attention he was receiving. His first instinct was to turn around and hop back into the car, but as if reading his mind, Gladio's large hands landed on the prince's shoulders and stopped him. He looked up at Gladiolus, who was staring back at him with a firm expression. A look that communicated, ' _You're an alpha, Noct. Act like it.'_.

Gladio was right. He was an alpha, damnit. And a Prince. Soon to be a King. Everyone who was anyone would be at this party and all their eyes would be on him, sizing him up and judging him. Trying to tell what sort of ruler he would become. If there was ever a time not to be a loser, now was the time.

He could do this.

Noctis took a deep, steadying breath and let it out slowly, trying to calm himself. He stood up straighter and raised his head high, looking down over the crowd with deep blue eyes that held no humor and demanded respect. The atmosphere around him seemed to change in an instant, and there was a thick power in the air. To some, it felt electric. Like the air before a lightning storm. Noct's alpha scent befell the crowd in heavy waves; the smell of fresh rain and lavender. Seconds went by and the yelling of the reporters and the flashing of the cameras died down to almost nothing.

"Move aside. The Prince of Insomnia, Noctis Lucis Caelum, wishes to go inside." Gladio's low voice rumbled through the crowd, laced with his alpha influence that willed the reporters to do his bidding. At once, the sea of people broke down the middle to allow the group of friends to make their way up the marble steps and into the palace. Only when the large, thick front doors closed loudly behind the trio, did Noctis stop spreading his scent and relax, sighing with a shudder. He wasn't used to being so forceful and composed. He gave a small smile to his shield, grateful that the man used his alpha influence, so he wouldn't have to. His friends knew how he felt about that. Gladio returned the smile.

"That was very impressive, Noct. I'm quite proud of you." Ignis whispered through his own shuddering breaths. The prince's scent and the shield's voice had almost commanded him as well, by accident, and it had been immensely hard not to give in to it. It left him momentarily week and out of breath.

"Shit. I'm sorry, Iggy. Didn't mean for it to affect you… You holding up ok?" Gladiolus went to help his friend but ignis waved a dismissive hand.

"I'm quite fine, Gladiolus. Don't worry about me. These things happen. It'll take a lot more than _that_ to deter me from my duties. I'm not some weak schoolgirl."

Noctis chuckled, despite his quickly returning nerves. "That would be _some_ sight."

Any further conversation was cut short as a maid came in swiftly to take their coats and show them the way to the ballroom. Noctis and Ignis complied, but Gladio politely denied. "I'd be a bit underdressed, you see.", he explained to her. A blush rose to the maid's cheeks as she smiled and nodded curtly towards the man.

She led them down elegant rooms and hallways, the entire castle made of smooth, white marble and the walls and pillars were accented with lines of pure gold. Large, elegant statues if The Six were cut to pop out of the walls, giving them a sort of life that was both beautiful and terrifying. Large, elegant rugs adorned the floor and everywhere they looked there seemed to be sylleblossoms in bloom. It laced the air with sweetness and left a lovely splash of color in the castle. Noctis was in awe. The castle was so lovely.

The maid led them up a set of stairs and down one long, final hallway before bowing to them and turning back the way she came to greet the other guests. Noctis swallowed the lump in his throat and smoothed out the wrinkles from his dress shirt. He could hear the orchestra on the other side of the walls playing elegant tunes and a singer with the most beautiful voice singing along. He could hear the idle chit-chat of the party-goers inside the ballroom. He could smell all the other alphas, betas, and even the rare omegas, all from where he stood, and it was almost intoxicating. So much power in one room.

"Are you ready, Noctis?" Ignis asked as he and Gladio each held one of the door handles, ready to open the floodgates on their prince's command.

"It's now or never. And your father won't settle for never." Gladio added and gave his prince a small smirk.

Noctis took a deep breath and tried to steady his heart. He felt Gladio ready himself, letting out his strong alpha scent in full; burning firewood and pine, filling Noctis' senses, and the prince followed suit behind his shield, adding his mixture of rain and lavender. Ignis didn't have much of a presence, but his own unique scent of cinnamon and vanilla was also there. At once, Noctis felt calm and safe and strong, alongside his retainers and he was ready for anything.

"Go for it."

And then the doors were opened, and the sounds and smells crashed through them like an ocean wave crashing against the rocks of the distant shore. The music halted, and a loud voice bellowed out, "His Royal Highness, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum, Son of King Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII, Heir to the Throne of Insomnia, has arrived. He brings with him his retainers, Ignis Scientia, his Advisor, and Gladiolus Amicitia, his Shield. We welcome them with open arms.". The voice echoed around the large ballroom and then died away. The entire ballroom erupted into clapping and cheering and talk about the trio as they descended the long staircase and into the throng of guests.

"Jeez, what a mouthful… Just our first names would have sufficed." Gladio whispered, rolling his eyes and surveying the area, checking out the guests and making a mental note of the most beautiful ones. "Remind me to save that girl over there a dance."

"I will do no such thing, Gladiolus, and neither will you. We are here to accompany and protect Noctis. Not spend the night dancing our cares away." Ignis chided the shield and also surveyed the area, trying to remember what guest was from what nation and what their names were so that Noctis wouldn't be so lost if they chose to talk to him.

"Aww, come on, specs. You're telling me you won't save me a dance either?" The muscular man winked at his friend and Ignis tried and failed to hide his blush at the suggestion.

"You're a buffoon."

"And you're stuck with me."

"That I am…"

Noctis looked around the room. Long, amply stocked buffet tables. Large fountains spewing out various drinks. Men and woman smiling and dancing under the light of an enormous chandelier. Shining stars shining through large windows. The beautiful view of the city and it's canals and marketplaces and waterfalls off in the distance. The lovely mural painted into the rounded ceiling above them. Lunafreya and her brother walking up to them.

Wait.

Hold up.

Noctis' throat became dry and his tongue felt heavy as he watched the pair come closer with each passing second. ' _Lunafreya and her brother are walking towards me.'_ ,he mentally screamed at himself until the pair stopped right in front of them. He hoped they couldn't see it on his face.

Lunafreya was gorgeous. She wore a pure white gown that fell clung to her slender frame before falling to the floor, past her feet to trail some distance behind her as she walked. The gown was sleeveless, with a sweetheart neckline that came up and around her neck in an intricate and elegant bow that cascaded down her bare back. Her hair was pale blonde, braided at the sides before coming together at the back of her head to become a waterfall of waves that ended just past the nape of her neck. She carried herself with such grace and elegance that she seemed to float more than walk. And before she even got close, Noctis could smell the nostalgic scent of sea water and sylleblossoms; Lunafreya's unmistakable alpha scent.

Their eyes met and all Noctis could do was breathe in and out slowly, his mouth hanging open slightly as he stared at her. She was the same height as him, and her eyes were a deep blue like the ocean. Lunafreya smiled softly at her old friend.

"Hello, Noctis. Long time no see." Her voice floated to his ears like a gentle summer breeze, but his throat was suddenly tight, and his mouth was dry, he couldn't come up with a response.

"Is my sister so ugly, that you can't deem it worth of your time to respond, Prince Noctis?" Lunafreya's brother, Ravus, cut through the awkward silence like a knife through butter and Noctis couldn't hide the slight jump he made at the round on his voice.

Ravus looked a lot like his sister in the facial features, but he was tall, towering over her by at least a foot. His hair was such a pale blonde that it seemed to be almost white, drawn back loosely so his bangs would not get in the way of his sight. His eyes were the only one of his most interesting features, the right one being blue line Luna's and the left eye being a captivating shade of purple. The other most interesting feature was his left arm, which he had lost as a child due to a daemon, now replaced by a mechanical arm made glistening silver with purple details. Ravus was also dressed in white. He wore a long, intricate coat with a popped collar and silver buttons with black belts and straps, falling almost to his feet, with black pants and boots showing underneath. If he was wearing an undershirt, it couldn't be seen. The man smelled of copper and gunpowder and had a presence that demanded attention and respect.

"I- No! Never! She's- Luna's beautiful! I mean-."

"Ravus, please don't scare my future mate. It isn't in good taste." Luna's smile never faltered, and her eyes never left Noct's, but her tone was strong and powerful, directed specifically towards her bother and laced with influence. The man shifted angrily on his feet. The tone could not command a strong alpha such as himself, but he still felt each word under his skin like fire.

"As you wish, Luna." Ravus bowed curtly to the prince and his retainers before turning to take his leave. "Noctis, I will be seeing you later. We have things we need to discuss."

With Ravus gone, the air was much lighter and Noctis could suddenly breathe a lot better.

"Well, Noctis, we shall leave you to it." Ignis bowed to Lunafreya and smiled. "My Lady, I do hope you have a lovely time, and I hope to be seeing you in Insomnia very soon. Until then." The advisor took his leave, heading towards one of the buffet tables to see what fine dishes Altissia had to offer.

Gladio bowed as well, taking the time to whisper, "Go get 'em, kid." into the prince's ear before also taking his leave, making his way to the gorgeous brunette woman he had spotted earlier and striking up a pleasant conversation.

Noctis tried not to blush at the words of sexual encouragement from his shield. _'Stupid Gladio. It's not like we are about to fuck right now…'_.

"Care to dance?", came that warm breeze of a voice.

"Uh- Sure. Yeah."

Luna took Noctis by the arm and led him to the center of the dancefloor just in time for a new song to start. Noctis vaguely remembered it from a lineup Ignis used to instruct him in his dance lessons. He would never get over how Gladiolus had laughed his ass off at the sight of the two of them ballroom dancing together awkwardly. The song began and Noctis took his position as the lead, giving his shield a quick smirk before sweeping Luna into an only slightly uncoordinated dance pattern.

"You are such a lovely dancer, Noctis." The female alpha complimented him, but there was an underlining of devilish falsehood in her tone that made Noctis's heart race and embarrassment creep into his cheeks.

"Sorry... Dancing isn't one of my talents."

"It's alright. I like the way you dance. It's charming. And genuine."

"You look… lovely tonight, Luna."

"Thank you, Noctis. You look dashing as well. If you aren't careful, I might just swoon."

Noctis blushed and twirled Luna beneath his arm before drawing her back to his chest. "It's been so long… I was afraid you had forgotten about me.", the prince admitted sheepishly.

"I thought the same at first, but The Six sent me a vision and I knew you'd remember me."

"I wish _I_ had visions that told me my future. You're lucky."

Luna's smiled faltered a bit, but only for a moment. "I'm The Oracle, and I love what I do. I love helping people. But… It is in no way something to envy. My visions aren't always happy ones. And I can never choose when to see one, so I can't just predict my own future to help myself out." The princess laughed, leaning back as her future mate dipped her.

"Oh? I'm sorry to hear that..." A moment, and then, "…Did you see a vision of _our_ future?"

Another beat of silence. "Indeed, I did."

Noctis' heart beat in his chest like a baby bird learning how to fly. "And… What did you see?"

The song ended, and all the couples clapped for the orchestra as the musicians took a quick break.

"I saw a lot of things. I saw you happy and full of life. I also saw you sad and full of doubt. I saw you in pleasure and I saw you in pain. I'd like to share all my visions with you some day, Noctis. But… I'm afraid now isn't the time."

"Why?"

Luna pointed towards the crowd of dancers that parted suddenly to make way for the Queen of Altissia, Sylva Nox Fleuret, who was making her way towards the couple. Noctis bowed low to his future mother-in-law and kissed the back of her hand. "You look lovely tonight, my Queen."

"Oh please, our families are about to become very close soon. Call me Sylva."

Noctis smiled sheepishly. "Yes, ma'am… Sylva."

"Sweetheart, it's time. The balcony is clear, and the people are all gathered outside the castle to hear what the two of you have to say."

There it was. That feeling of dread Noctis had successfully pushed down until right this very moment.

As if on cue, the prince's retainers appeared by his side and Ravus appeared next to his sister. All of them made their way to the balcony, Noctis trembling with every step until they were right in front of the railings. The prince gripped it until his hands were raw and pulsing. All was silent. The crowd waited patiently for the big news they were told they'd be receiving.

Lunafreya began addressing her people first, taking the microphone in her hands and standing with the absolute grace and authority of an alpha.

"People of Altissia. And people of Insomnia, who are either here with us tonight, or listening to this on a radio or your televisions in the comfort of your homes. We thank you all for listening to us today. It is with great pleasure that we grace you with splendid news." She smiled her warmest smile before handing the microphone over to Noctis, who took it with fumbling hands.

He cleared his throat and heard Ignis' advice reverberate inside of his head.

' _Imagine you are King Regis. He never says foolish things.'_

"…As you all know, our nations had a falling out many ears ago. Those severed ties have never been fully healed, and as the future king of Insomnia, I apologize deeply to you all. But. Right here, right now, I am going to make a vow to you all."

Noctis looked back at his retainers. Ignis and Gladiolus communicated absolute pride and confidence in their prince through their scents and their eyes and Noctis breathed it in deeply before continuing.

"On this night, in front of you all…" He took Luna's hand into one of his own and raised them, so everyone could see. "…I would like to ask the Lady Lunafreya Nox Fleuret to be my mate at the time of my twentieth birthday."

The crown erupted into cheer and claps and whistles and Noctis didn't think his heart could beat louder. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears. He suddenly felt incredibly hot and the world seemed to sway.

He leaned in to whisper an "Excuse me one moment, please.", before unceremoniously shoving the microphone into Luna's hands and darting off the balcony, through the ballroom, and into one of the palace bathrooms.

…

"No. No, no, no. This isn't happening. Not here. Not now."

Noctis struggled to breathe as another wave of heat flooded his body, sending him doubling over the bathroom sink and letting out a soft moan. He tried to will down the scent of rut that was rolling off him, but couldn't contain it. "Why is my rut starting now, of all the times?! I thought I had another few days!" Another wave of heat surged through him and suddenly his clothes felt too tight. His skin crawled beneath them and his cock strained painfully in the confines of his dress pants. "Shit. Shit-shit-shit."

The door to the bathroom opened and Noctis let out a hoarse growl of "Go away!", before he heard the door close and he smelt salt water and sylleblossoms. Noctis jerked his head up to like at Lunafreya through the reflection of the bathroom mirror. He looked at her with shock and embarrassment and he tried to conceal his boner.

"Luna. You shouldn't be here. I'm- "

"-going into rut.", the princess finished his sentence for him. She took a step forward, but the prince sidestepped in order to keep their distance.

Noctis shivered as her smell overtook his senses.

"Noctis. It's ok. I'm not afraid. I go through them, too. I'm here to help."

"Help? How are you- "

The prince's sentence caught in his throat as he watched her hands come up to the bow behind her neck, gracefully untying it and letting the straps of her dress fall to her sides. She moved her hair to the side, revealing the soft, creamy skin of her neck. "Go ahead and mark me, Noctis. It's ok. I'm prepared to take all of you. After all, we were going to become mates anyways. What's the harm in doing it now?"

Noctis could barely believe what his childhood friend was saying. His gaze landed on her neck and he ground his teeth together to stop his instinct to bite her. "Luna. No. I can't. You deserve better than some romp in a palace bathroom."

Luna took another step forward and this time Noctis couldn't back away. Her allure was too great. Soon she was right next to him, turning him to face her, and her touch ignited fire beneath his skin. They could both smell his arousal thick in the air. "Noctis. Who cares. We both know you didn't bring any suppressants and I know you're feeling like you're about to go insane… Please. Let me help you."

Noctis leaned close to her, throwing all better judgement to the wind. He peppered kisses to her shoulder, trailing up her skin until his teeth scraped over her neck. Luna sighed and melted into his embrace. "Go on, Noct. I'm all yours." He opened his mouth wide, fully intending on indulging her.

"NOCTIS!"

Gladiolus' voice boomed as the bathroom door was kicked down. The prince's shield and advisor came running into the room and Noctis was knocked out of the spell of his rut. They all stared at each other for a moment, Ignis and Gladio trading looks of shock and bewilderment before noticing the smell of alpha rut. Embarrassed, Noctis let Lunafreya go and shoved past them all.

"I'm sorry, Luna. I can't. Not now. I gotta go." And with that, the prince disappeared again, leaving them in a confused silence.

"What happened here?" Ignis inquired, adjusting his glasses and looking away from Luna once he noticed her half-dressed state.

"Noctis went into heat, and selfishly, I tried to help him."

"Shit. That time already? I thought he still had time."

"The stress of the occasion must have messed up his hormones and sent him off-schedule. I wasn't prepared for this. I don't have his suppressants."

"Even worse, we don't know where the hell he just went, Iggy."

Luna readjusted her dress. "I apologize. I pushed him too far too soon and he ran. This is my fault."

"My Lady, there is nothing you could have done to make this situation any better. Please do not blame yourself."

Gladiolus crossed his arms over his large chest. "Looks like we are going on a hunt, Iggy."

"Indeed…"


	5. Chapter 4

*****A/N: I didn't like how I ended the last chapter. I kind of rushed it to get it out. So I went back and added a little more. Go back and finish it if you'd like!*****

Noctis ignored the reporters as he flung himself down the marble steps and to the limo, weaving through them easily as if he were a fish swimming downstream, moving so fast they barely had time to register his presence until he was already gone. He hopped inside of one of the various limos that sat along the curb and quickly slammed the car door behind him. The driver could smell the rut emanating off him, Noctis knew it without having to look at him, choosing instead to draw a thick, heavy platinum debit card out of his wallet and shoving it in the man's direction. "Drive."

The man squeaked and took the card with shaking hands. "W-where to, Your Highness...?"

"The ferry. As fast as you can."

Noctis' phone lit up and Ignis' name flooded the screen. He could only imagine what his advisor would say, and at this moment he didn't care to listen. With only minimal guilt, he clicked the button that would send his friend to voicemail and the car started to pull into the traffic.

…

"I can't believe it! He sent me to voicemail!" Ignis stared at his phone's screen in disbelief before shoving it back into his pocket.

"He's embarrassed, Specs. I don't think he'll be wanting to talk to us any time soon."

"That is only going to _hinder_ our chances of finding him faster, you big thumb! Now isn't the time to be coddling him and allowing him to do as he pleases."

Ignis called over a limo and the two of them climbed in.

"Well, just think about it. If _you_ were the prince, where would _you_ go?"

"Well… He doesn't know anything about this place, not enough to traverse it without a map anyways, so I assume he would go back to Insomnia…" Ignis' face lit up and he snapped his fingers. "Ah- The ferry! He's going to take the ferry! It's the only way off the island."

Gladio grimaced as the other retainer gave the directions to the driver. "Great… the boat again."

"I don't think he'll get very far. He'll need a pass to board, and he doesn't have one. The ferry is always sold out unless you are lucky enough to buy a pass in advance, like I did."

"Guess we'll have him back sooner than expected, then. That's good. We can find some hotel to hole up in until our prince finds his head and stops acting like a royal pain-in-the-ass."

…

Noctis payed the man in the limo and all but ran to the dock where the last ferry of the night was about to depart. He knew Ignis and Gladiolus wouldn't be far behind. People stared at him and scented him, and he desperately wished he was alone. Everyone smelled fantastic right now, but he couldn't let himself give in to his urges. He needed to press forward. Maybe if he was lucky, the ferry would have a private room to enjoy the boat trip back to Galdin Quay.

The prince slammed his boarding pass onto the counter between him and the woman in the ticket booth, his breathing ragged from the mixture of running and all the blood being in his groin and not his limbs. With a deep, raspy voice, he said, "I'd like to board."

The woman eyed him curiously and he could smell the lust on her, in response to his pheromones. Knowing his rut was affecting others like that already made him shudder and bite his lip. "Listen. Um. Is there… a _private_ area on this boat that I can sit in until we reach our destination?" His voice almost sounded pained as his cock twitched with interest to the woman's scent.

The woman took his boarding pass and replied, somehow managing a way better out-togetherness than the prince, "Of course, sir. The private rooms are just upstairs, in the second level of the ferry. But I regret to inform you that they are all booked for tonight."

Another wave of heat pulsed within him and his knees shook with the force of it. He braced himself on the counter so as not to fall to the floor. He whimpered. "Nothing at _all_?"

The woman saw the desperation in the prince's face and she gave him an apologetic smile. She leaned in close, and whispered, "There's a small room in the back of the ferry that we use for sick guests. So long as no one gets seasick tonight, I don't think there will be any opposition if you use it.".

Noctis thanked her and all but busted through the mechanical gate and onto the ferry.

…

"He had a pass?! How?!" Gladio asked the woman at the ticket booth incredulously. The two retainers could do nothing but watch the boat get smaller and smaller as it glided over the horizon, Noctis long gone along with it. They were too late.

Ignis huffed in frustration. "The little devil must not have lost his pass like he said he did, after all."

"That little shit. What do we do now? That was the last ferry of the night. There won't be another until morning!"

"Let me try calling him again." Ignis selected his prince's name from his list of contacts and the line connected him. He heard the phone ring.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

The fourth ring began and Ignis started to believe the boy wouldn't answer, but by the grace of the Gods, there was the click of the connection, static, heavy breathing for a moment, and then a weak, "…Yeah?" from the other end.

"Noct!" Ignis was relieved to hear Noct's voice on the other end, even if it wasn't a very dignified one. "Just what exactly do you plan on doing once you go back to insomnia?"

A whimper rang in Ignis' ears and he suppressed an urge to shiver at the sound. "Not… Going back… to Insomnia."

"Not going back? Wait, you can't be serious- "

Gladio swiped the phone from the advisor's grasp, much the man's distain. "Just what the hell do you mean, you're not going back? Where the hell _else_ are you going to go?"

Gladio heard the moan on the other end and he could tell the prince was rubbing one out. "Listen. Yeah, your father's gonna be pissed that you left the party early. But you're his only kid. How mad could he be? When that boat docks, wait for us at Galdin Quay. We can go back together. We'll let him know what happened. We'll- "

"No!" The offer was shot down by the prince abruptly, and the shield hadn't expected it. "I… I don't trust myself around people right now… I need to be alone. Somewhere far away. From- from everything."

"And just where the hell would that be, Noct?"

The distinct sound of Noct's phone falling to the ground sung in Gladio's ear, along with a long, drawn-out moan. The shield grumbled and ended the call, giving the phone back to Ignis.

"Where is he going, Gladiolus?"

"If I still had my 1,000 gil, I'd bet it all on where he'll turn up." Ignis looked at him with confusion. "But for now, let's find a room and get some rest. We need to be up early if we're gonna make the next ferry tomorrow."

Ignis pocketed his phone once again and they set off into the bustling city once more.

…

Noctis found the room the woman had mentioned with little trouble. He mumbled something that sounded like "I'm gonna vomit." to an attendant as his excuse before he went into the room and slammed the door behind him, hastily locking it afterwards.

The room was nothing special to look at. It was very small. One bed big enough for only one person rested against the wall to his right. Mounted on the opposite wall was a first aid kit and in a corner, there were various other items someone who is sick might need; a bucket and some spare clothes. A dim light lit up the space overhead. Noctis briefly wondered what germs from various sick people he'd be opening himself up to, but shoved the thought aside when the heat overcame him again.

He sat on the bed and couldn't help from palming himself through his dress pants. The friction and heat of his hand was fantastic. _'Not enough. Need more.'_ With shaky hands, he undid his pants and slid them, along with his underwear, down his hips until his aching erection sprung free. Noctis grasped the base firmly and hissed at the sensation of his own skin against the member. The head of his cock was flushed a deep pink, and he could see the beads of precum welling out of the slit.

 _BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!_

His phone rang from next to him. Noctis watched his advisor's name flash onto the screen and he started a slow, languid pace on himself, base to tip.

 _BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!_

When his palm reached the head of his cock, he let a thumb slide over the tip, smearing the precum over himself and eliciting a breathy whisper of a moan.

 _BEEP-BEEP-BEEP!_

He gripped himself a little tighter and his pace sped up gingerly. His head fell back against the wall behind him and he let his eyes drift shut, mouth hanging open.

 _BEEP- BEE-!_

With his free hand, the prince pressed the button on the screen to answer the call and after a few more pumps he brought his phone to his face. "…Yeah?", he managed to half whimper in a pathetic greeting. He wanted to get off more than anything. Just needed _some_ kind of release to ease the tension in him, if only for a moment. But he knew he couldn't keep his friends completely in the dark, so he had answered.

Ignis's voice sounded on the other line. The retainer sounded relieved and worried at the same time. Noct's dick twitched involuntarily at the sound of his friend and Noctis pumped faster in response to the wave of heat that surged through his veins. Noctis whimpered fully this time.

More talking from Ignis. They thought the prince was on his way back to his own castle. Sorry for them, that wasn't in Noctis' plans. Not until his rut was over. "Not… Going back… to Insomnia.", he breathed out in ragged breaths as he worked himself over. Somewhere, in the back of his lust-drunk mind, he knew that jacking off while listening to his best friend's voice was wrong. But all thoughts that didn't involve getting off could honestly go fuck themselves in that moment.

There was a rustling on the other line and then suddenly Gladio's deep voice was in his ear. Noctis couldn't help but picture larger hands than his own working at his cock, jerking the prince off in his steady rythm, and Noctis moaned. He knew Gladio knew what was happening. A flush appeared over his face and his eyes opened to stare down at himself. He made a mental note to apologize to his shield later when all of this was over. He heard them mention going back together. "No! I… I don't trust myself around people right now… I need to be alone. Somewhere far away. From- from everything." If he was already at the point of shamelessly jacking it off to the thought of his friends doing it to him, then he was certainly in no condition to actually be _near_ them in person. Or _anyone_ , for that matter.

Oh no.

Now Noctis was thinking of _exactly_ what his friends could do to him if they were near.

That was the end. The phone tumbled out of his hand and to the floor and Noctis shuddered, feeling his orgasm wash over him. He bucked his hips into his hand once, twice, and then he felt the warmth of his semen seeping into his dress shirt as he came all over his chest in long spurts. Noctis licked his lips and swallowed, panting. His body felt light and heavy all at once. The pulsing heat of his body died down, but he knew it would be only a momentary relief.

The prince grimaced as he looked at the sorry state of his shirt. He undid the buttons and tossed the clothing to the floor, taking his shoes and pants off with them. He thought about grabbing his phone again, but thought better of it. It could lay there a little longer.

It was a long ride back to Galdin Quay. Noctis lost count of how many times he played with himself.

…

The boat landed, and Noctis stepped off it, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. But there was no way he could go _anywhere_ unnoticed with the smell of rut and cum that was practically oozing off him. He needed to get to the regalia and fast.

After the four-hour non-stop masturbation session that he had, there was no way that he was putting on his cum-stained black party clothes again. Luckily, the spare clothes in the little room had been the perfect fit. He now wore something much more casual and to his tastes: a white t-shirt with a pair of snug dark jeans and grey sneakers. Hopefully he wouldn't ruin those too. Time would only tell.

Noctis made it to the parking lot where the regalia was parked and materialized a set of keys out of thin air. It had been Ignis' idea for them all to have one in case they got separated. Noct was sure his key was going to be revoked after all of this was over. Noctis could smell the sea air rolling in and it reminded him of Luna and the all too brief moment they had shared in the bathroom. He felt the heat rush over him and turned the key in the ignition, desperate to get away from the beach's inhabitants before he went seeking out a warm body. It was still pitch black, only a little past 2am, and there was no doubt he'd be running into demons before the trip was over, but he couldn't stay.

He needed to go somewhere calm. Somewhere he could sit in private and get his mind off everything. Or _on_ everything. Whatever would get him off faster. One place in particular came to mind and he slammed a foot to the gas pedal, speeding away.

…

It was close to 6 in the morning when Gladio and Ignis left the hotel they booked and boarded the ferry. They both took their seats and Gladio closed his eyes, trying to focus on his own steady breathing instead of the way his whole body moved with the waves.

"So. Once we reach our destination, where do you think we'll be looking?" Ignis inquired, side-glancing the shield and hoping the man wouldn't vomit on him.

"Think about it, Iggy. Noct doesn't want to be near people right now. He said it himself. He doesn't trust himself. Now. Where do you know of that _Noctis_ would go to where no one else would be?"

Ignis pondered the question for a moment. "Ah. A pond or a lake. Some place secluded and perfect for fishing. That would probably be his best bet."

"Bingo." Gladio felt pride in his expert hunting skills, though he never expected to have to use them on his prince.

"But there are many places like that, Gladio. Which body of water will be the right one?"

"Gotta check them all. That's the only way. No telling which one that kid ran off to."

"Knowing Noctis, I can guarantee he took the regalia. Noct isn't one for walking to his destinations. Our prince is a lazy one."

Gladio smirked. "Yup. Looks like we're gonna be getting there by chocobo instead."

Ignis clicked his tongue and folded his arms across his chest. Much like Gladio and boats didn't mix, Igis was not keen on large feathered creatures that got feathers in his hair and made his clothes stink like bird feed. Not to mention he'd lost many a pair of glasses to large, taloned feet while riding those creatures. He'd much rather cook one up for dinner.

"I hope we don't have to try too many locations…" The advisor wished aloud and Gladio snickered.

…

Noctis veered the regalia to the side of the road and shut the engine off. The trip included minimal daemon encounters, and the prince was grateful for it. Although, he had struggled to fight with an aching boner in his jeans. Somehow, he made it in one piece. The lake was only a short hike away. Soon he'd be alone and free to touch himself all he wanted and maybe fish for a bit when his lust wasn't so out of control. It had been forever since the last time he got to go fishing.

The hike seemed to fly by and soon enough he stood on the end of the dock and breathed in the crisp, fresh air of the forest around him. Everything was silent, with the exception of a few frogs and crickets.

Perfect.

Noctis wasted no time in unbuttoning his jeans and pulling down the zipper, freeing his cock right where he stood and giving it a few long, languid strokes. Noctis shuddered and let out a sigh, letting his head roll back. Even though he had come so many times not too long ago, the heat was back in him full-force and he suddenly felt like he hadn't cum in days.

 _CLICK!_

That was the unmistakable sound of a camera.

Noctis barely managed not to jump out of his princely skin as he shoved his needy member back into his jeans and zipped up, turning around to where the source of the noise had come from. Maybe a reporter from the party had followed him? Maybe it was someone trying to blackmail him?

Noctis froze when his midnight blue eyes fell on a boy, standing just at the other end of the dock.

The boy couldn't have been any older than him, but he certainly didn't seem much younger either. He was thin and almost lanky, pale skin that Noctis's alpha eyes could see was littered with freckles on his face and shoulders, even from his distance. His wore a black tank top with a strange abstract pattern sewn in, a collared, embellished, dark jean vest unbuttoned and laying over the shirt, with a piece of red flannel trailing a little ways behind. His pants were form-fitting enough and were rolled up at the bottoms to end mid-way down his calves and meet a pair of black boots. Fingerless gloves and various bracelets adorned his hands, and a black bandana was tied around his right forearm.

The boy's face was, if anything, very pretty. With eyes that reminded Noctis of the cloudless summer sky, under blonde lashes and sharp eyebrows. Pink, pouty lips that Noctis totally wasn't imagining himself kissing, in his heated state. Nope. His hair was pale yellow and jutted out in a few directions, really short on one side, but slightly fluffier and longer on the other side, to frame his face that came to a pointed chin. Noctis couldn't help but think that the cut and color of the boy's hair reminded him of a chocobo's butt.

Noctis was about to yell at him. Ask him how he dared to follow the prince and take his picture with his pants down. But stopped. His nose flared as the sweet smell of honeysuckle and fresh peaches filled his lungs. The scent was intoxicating and warm, but Noctis didn't detect anything more or less within it. No authoritative power and no underlining bare sexuality. _'A beta_ ', he observed.

The boy was the first to talk, lowering the camera from his face. "Oh- man. I'm sorry. I didn't think there'd be anyone here!" He sputtered out and nervously shifted his weight on his other leg before the heavy scent of alpha hit him, making him freeze in place to hold the prince's deep stare as if entranced. _'Oh, shit, he's an alpha'_ , Prompto realized as he watched Noctis' eyes rake over his body. Prompto felt incredibly naked under the stare. He smelled rain and lavender, but more than that, he smelt rut. _'And a horny one, at that.'_

Noctis' brain short-circuited. The boy spoke, but he couldn't register the words. The heat radiating through his body heightened significantly and the prince felt like his clothes may burst into flames from the contact with his skin. Noctis wanted to be alone. _Prayed_ for some alone time. But he was not granted it, and the man smelled so good in that moment. Every alpha instinct in his body screamed to take hold of that body and use it for all he was worth. Noctis took a step forward, never breaking eye contact with the intruder. He could feel a primitive growl spring from deep within his chest.

Prompto threw up his hands in a defensive stance and took a few steps back. The dark-haired man in front of him looked just like a feral animal ready to pounce on it's prey, lost in his lustful alpha state. "Hey- Listen. I see that I came at a bad time. S- Sorry about that." He nervously chewed on his bottom lip when Noctis took another heavy step forward. The boy was long gone, all sense of reason thrown to the wind, the blonde could tell. He'd never been near an alpha during it's rut, but he had heard stories. He listened to many an omega and beta tell tales of their strength and influence and endless nights of rough, possessive sex. The photographer swallowed the lump in his throat as a slight terror welled in his gut. He didn't feel any particular influence coming from this alpha, but he wasn't about to stick around to find out what it would be like.

"I'm just gonnaaa…." Prompto took another tentative step backwards and motioned to behind him with a vague jab of his thumb over his shoulder. "…go."

A few moments of silence fell between them, and Prompto could have sworn the air around them felt electric. Like lightening could strike at any moment.

"Like hell you are.", was all Noctis growled out despite himself before he busted into a fierce sprint towards his prey. Ig the Gods weren't going to give him solitude, he'd accept Prompto's body instead. He had been in rut hell for hours and the thought of just having his hand seemed like the worst fate in the world at that moment. He needed a body. He needed to fuck.

Prompto squeaked and turned around to run away from the alpha as fast as he could, dropping his camera to the ground in his haste. As he ran with everything he had, he could hear the loud crunch of a foot smashing the camera into oblivion and he knew that there would be no salvaging it. _Goodbye, old friend'_ , he thought tragically before fear surged through him and he tried his best to quicken his pace.

The boys ran through the fields, Prompto leaping over rocks and logs and dodging tree limbs to escape Noctis. He panted out a "Dude! Snap out of it! This is kind of ridiculous!" over his shoulder as he attempted to look back at the dark-haired man. Shit. He was close. Prompto's lungs burned with every breath. He often went on runs to maintain his weight and sometimes just for fun, but this was more along the lines of an obstacle course and it was taxing.

Noctis didn't say anything in response other than grunts or growls and his own labored breathing. Prompto's eyes searched for any place to go. Somewhere safe.

His salvation came in the form of a tall apple tree a few yards away from them. This was his only shot. Prompto put everything he had into his running and when he was close enough to the tree, he leapt towards it and latched onto one of it's high branches, pulling himself up. Noctis was only two seconds behind and caught hold of one of Prompto's ankles, trying to pull the man down.

"Hey, knock it off! Get a grip!" The blonde yelled out and reeled his foot back, kicking it out at the prince with all the strength he could muster in his dangling lower body. The foot made contact with the prince's left eye and that was enough for the man to let go of his ankle, falling back on his ass to clutch his eye with a cry and a growl. Prompto used the opportunity to pull himself up a few more limbs until he was half way up the tree.

"I know how to climb too, you know!" Noctis shouted from beneath him and made a leap of his own at one of the lower branches.

"Yeah, but can you dodge _these_?" Prompto plucked one of the apples from the tree and chucked it at his attacker's head. He watched it pelt the boy straight in the top of his head and Noctis let go of the branch, dropping to his knees and cradling his aching head.

"What the fuck?!"

Prompto sat on the think branch, back against the trunk of the tree and his legs dangling in the air on either side of the branch. He crossed his arms and smiled smugly down at Noctis. "Hey, that's my line!"

Noctis went for the branch again and Prompto threw another apple. This one made contact with Noctis' shoulder. He dropped to the ground again.

"You know, I appreciate the sentiment, buddy. Really, I do. But you could at least buy me dinner first before trying to jump my bones!" Another attempt to climb the tree. Another apple in the face. Another growl. Prompto could smell the anger radiating from the alpha but he could care less.

Noctis looked up at the blonde and huffed. "You can't stay up there forever."

"And _you_ won't be in that rut forever." Prompto retorted.

Noctis sat down at the base of the tree and groaned when heat washed over him again. He wanted skin-to-skin contact so badly. He palmed himself through the jeans to try and get some form of relief, not caring that the man above him was probably still watching him. "Why are you out here so late, anyways? I've been coming here ever since I was a kid and I've never seen anyone around. I thought I'd get to be alone here…" Noctis muttered through uneven breathing.

"If you _must_ know, I'm a photographer. I wanted to come and find the best spot to catch the sunrise over that lake." He was acutely aware of the way Noctis shivered as he touched himself through his clothes, giving not one damn that he was being watched. _'Rutting alphas had no shame.'_ "I could say the same thing to _you_ , you know." Noctis gave in and whipped his dick out to masturbate at the base of the tree. Prompto looked away and tried to focus on something else. "What's a rutting alpha doing all the way out here, in the middle of nowhere, instead of in a nice warm bed, pounding some omega's brains out? That's what _I'd_ be doing if I were you, anyways."

Noctis struggled to talk through the sounds that were flying out of his mouth at his own touch. "It's… complicated. And none of your business."

Prompto shrugged. He gripped another apple and took a bite out of it, just sitting there and listening to the sound of the other man getting off and groaning as his orgasm hit. After some cool-down time, the blonde said, "You owe me a camera."

"Yeah… Sorry, I guess."

"Sorry doesn't bring my camera back from the dead, buddy."

"I guess it doesn't does it?" Noctis replied and felt a twinge of guilt. "What's your name?"

"Prompto. Prompto Argentum. And you?"

"Noctis." He didn't want to say his last name. The boy would know he was the future king of Insomnia and he felt an immense shame suddenly in his actions. A Kin wouldn't be chasing a piece of ass up a tree. "Just… Noctis."

Prompto chuckled. "Okay, _just_ Noctis. Nice to meet you. Well- maybe not so _nice_ to meet you. But. Yeah. Hey."

"Listen… I'm sorry for what I did. It's hard to control myself right now. If I try to go for you again, feel free to keep hitting me. I don't want to do anything I would regret later."

"Oh, say no more. Was already planning on it, big guy. So… how long is this rut going to go on for?", Prompto asked, throwing his apple core a good distance across the field.

Good question. Noctis though about it for a while. "Well, ruts usually last no longer than a day, and I started mine around 10pm, so…. At my worst, it could go on for another… 12 hours or so?"

Prompto groaned. "I guess I won't be getting any sleep any time soon, will I?"

"Probably not, if you want to keep guarding yourself."

"Welp! I guess we have no choice but to get to know each other for a bit, do we?"

"Seems so."

Noctis heard Prompto chuckle and he felt the heat well up in him again as the boy's scent wrapped around his brain again. He hoped his rut would end soon.


	6. Chapter 5

The dark hours of the early morning went by not much differently than the moments prior had gone. Noctis fell in and out of sexual deliriousness like the beating of a wave.

In his worst moments, he tried to climb the tree and reach Prompto over and over again, only to get pelted endlessly by rock-hard fruit or to receive another kick to the face. There were a few occasions where Prompto actually had to climb even higher in order to reach more ammo or to avoid falling into Noctis' clutches.

In his best moments, they just sat and ate apples, talking about each other. Noctis didn't reveal in any wat that he was of royal lineage, but did talk about his arranged mating to a childhood friend and how he went into rut during the party. He also talked about his love of fishing and his two best friends who had been with him ever since he could remember.

Prompto was surprisingly much more talkative, spilling out his life like an open book to the prince. Noctis discovered the blonde had spent most of his life as an orphan, living in the streets of Lestallum and being lucky to find a decent meal most days until a kind old omega named Wiz found him while going to the marketplace to stock up on birdfeed and offered him a job at the chocobo farm. Prompto talked about his love for chocobos and his never-ending gratitude for Wiz. The man had even gifted the blonde a hand-me-down camera on his last birthday, and that was the beginning of Prompto's hobby of photography. Noctis made a mental note to buy Prompto a new camera as an apology for what had transpired between them.

Any time in between all of that was filled with Noctis unashamedly masturbating at the base of the tree whenever the urge would arise. Prompto didn't care too much, though. He just dismissed it all with a, "Hey, no biggie, Noct. You have uncontrollable urges! Do what ya gotta do.", and just sat through it all. Sometimes he'd watch and make silly comments to the prince about his terrible masturbation technique or the size of his dick. Other times he'd watch the sky and twiddle his thumbs or whistle a tune that he'd come up with on the spot. Mainly about chocobos, to Noctis' annoyance.

Before they knew it, the sun was rising and Noctis' rut was slowly coming to an end. The further the sun rose, the more they could both feel the weight in the air lifting and the hypnotizing alpha scent dissipating.

"Well. This has been really… eye opening for me, I guess." Prompto called to Noctis after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"Oh?"

"Yeah! I mean- I'm a beta. So, like, all this stuff is so foreign to me, you know? Other than stories, of course. Never knew how _much_ an alpha could actually cum during a rut, so, yeah. _That_ was a sight to see in person.", The blonde chuckled.

Now that the hypnotic haze of his rut was finally gone, Noctis was now filled with embarrassment and shame in it's place at how indecent and crazy he had been towards everyone. Especially Prompto. "Yeah… Sorry about that.", he mumbled.

"It's ok. Doesn't bother me, man. It's just biology."

"Um. I'll buy you a new camera. Since I stepped on your old one."

"Thanks, I'd like that."

"Iggy's gonna _kill_ me when I see him… I acted like the King of all Assholes… Not to mention, I stole the car and got my dress clothes covered in bodily fluids…"

"The butler guy you told me about?"

"Yeah."

"Sounds like a stick-in-the-mud."

Noctis laughed and he blinked rapidly, beginning to feel sleep tug at his eyelids desperately. "He _totally_ is. But he has his good points. He's actually pretty cool."

"And your personal trainer sounds funny."

"Only when he isn't making fun of my lack of muscle."

Prompto sighed, "I'd like to meet your friends someday."

Noctis was genuinely surprised. After everything he put the blonde through, he still wanted to be around him and meet his friends? Noctis was sure the guy was crazy. "Uh- yeah? You really want to meet them? Even after all _this_ shit?"

Prompto looked down at Noctis and grinned. From where Noctis was sitting, the boy looked like the sun itself. Hair falling from his face, with a toothy smile and all those freckles, with the bright light of the sky outlining him like a halo around the pastel colors of the early-morning sky. He looked just like an angel. An angel stuck in a tree.

"Of course, I do! This may sound lame or whatever- and don't you dare make fun of me! - but, um.. I haven't exactly had… friends. With a lifestyle like the one I had growing up, not a lot of kids wanted to hang around me. No one wants to be friends with a hobo, you know?" The blonde laughed awkwardly at his bad joke and scratched the back of his neck. "Today was weird, yeah. Super weird. But it felt a little like a sleepover, you know? I had fun. Wouldn't mind doing it again someday." Prompto's eyes stayed closed way longer than a blink should last. Sleep was sounding like a really sweet thing to be doing right then.

"With less boners?", Noctis asked.

This time they both laughed. "Naturally."

Noctis yawned. "I'd like that..."

"…Cool."

Sleep overcame the two of them almost as soon as the conversation ended. Noctis was the first to drift to sleep, curled on his side in the damp grass He looked peaceful and safe enough, but Prompto didn't leave the tree, just in case. He watched the sun rise higher over the trees and wished that his camera was still alive. The sky was beautiful. The warmth of the sun fell over his skin, warming his body comfortably, and he drifted off right where he sat.

 **…**

Ignis growled deep in his chest as he and Gladiolus walked brusquely through the large field towards where he could just smell and knew Noct was. The man was disheveled from hours of riding the chocobo, his hair ruffled ad his glasses slightly lopsided on his face, one lens broken from a not-so-loving peck the bird had given him. His shirt was untucked on one side and unbuttoned at the collar more than normal, and his dress pants and shoes were stained from trekking through mud. His equilibrium was thrown off from the constant up-and-down motion of riding on the bird's back and the entire world continued to sway like that even after he had departed. Even though his scent wasn't strong, the smell of anger and frustration that exuded from him was enough to make even the shield a little scared. Ignis was a force to be reckoned with.

Gladio was frustrated as well, but more so with himself. He was supposed to be his prince's _shield_! To protect him until his last breath! And allowing Noctis to escape and be on his own for hours and hours with no clue where he would be or what danger he could be in was absolutely unacceptable and he was sure to get the scolding of his life from both his father as well as King Regis. He was sure the two of them had already found out from the reporters about the prince's disappearance.

The two men reached their destination and stopped in front of the peacefully slumbering boy. Gladiolus crossed his arms over his chest and Ignis puffed out his chest, balling his fists at his hips before taking in a deep breath.

" _NOCTIS LUCIS CAELUM!"_ The name was bellowed out loudly, mixed with that deep growl. It sounded loud and fierce like rolling thunder.

Noctis woke up and almost had a heart attack as he sprang up into a sitting position. He had dirt and cum stains all over his clothes and his hair was a wreck, but his bangs did nothing to hide the huge black eye he had from Prompto's foot. Various other bruises covered the boy's visible skin from where he had been bombarded by fruit. There was sure to be more underneath his shirt and jeans.

Noctis was going to say something. _Should_ have said something. But the next thing anyone heard was a very startled, " _Whatthefuck?!_ ", before a mass of freckles and blonde hair fell out of the tree and onto the ground between the trio.

"Oh, _Six_! Prompto!" Noctis scrambled to the boy's side and cradled him in his arms.

Ignis and Gladio were caught entirely off-guard. They had not expected this in the least. Ignis seemed too shocked and confused to talk, frozen in place in the most hilarious way.

"Who the hell is this?" The shield supplied, sniffing the air. "Some beta?"

Noctis shook Prompto, but he wasn't waking up, seemingly knocked out from the fall. Instead, he took the boy's head in one hand and his chest in the other and dragged him into the alpha's lap, cradling him.

"Um. Shit. Yeah. This is Prompto." Noctis looked up at his retainers, fear showing in his eyes as he bit his lip. Fear for his new friend and fear of his angry retainers. "I kinda. Um. Tried to… _fuck_ him?"

"Noctis, what the-", Ignis started.

"I know! Look- I know! Trust me! I thought I'd be alone here, I thought- "

"You tried to _assault_ someone, Noctis."

Noctis huffed an angry breath through his nose. "Look, forget about it. He's fine! I didn't do anything to him!"

Gladio looked over Noctis' bruises and sneered. " _You_ sure as hell aren't fine, though. What the fuck happened to you?"

"Prompto defended himself!"

"You let some beta beat you up? Some alpha you are, Noct."

Noctis growled and rolled his eyes before looking back down at his friend. "Which is it, guys?! Are you gonna be mad that I _tried_ to fuck him or that I _couldn't_ fuck him?! Cause it can't be both!" The retainers went to retort, but the smell of copper cut through the air and everyone looked down at the freckled boy in the prince's arms.

Prompto's blonde, fluffy hair felt damp in the back where Noctis' hand was, and he moved it away to see blood smeared all over his palm. "Shit. Guys, we need to help him!"

Ignis knelt down and inspected the fellow beta's head closer, momentarily putting aside the argument. "He's going to need stitches, and I don't have any supplies for that right now… Do we know where he lives? His parents should be contacted.

Noctis shook his head solemnly. "He's… kind of an orphan. Doesn't really have a home. He works at the chocobo farm down the road."

"We'll have to take him to Insomnia, then. To the castle. Get a private doctor to look at him. We can charge it to the royal account.", Gladio supplied. The man took off his tank top and gave it to Ignis, who tied it around the boy's head as some way to stop the bleeding as much as possible. The shield scooped the boy from Noctis' arms and carried him to the regalia. "We can return the chocobos to the farm and let Wiz know he'll be down one employee for a while."

Noctis nodded and set to the task as fast as he could as Ignis started the car.

 **…**

"Don't think for one second that I have forgotten about your actions, young man." Ignis gave Noctis a stern look through the rearview mirror, watching his prince worrying his lip and staring at the blonde that was currently slumped into the passenger seat beside Ignis, breathing slow and looking a little paler than he had previously been.

"Yeah. I know…"

"As soon as we get this Prompto patched up, you are to meet with your father. Understood?"

"Yeah."

"Good. You had us worried sick, you know that?"

"Sorry…"

There was silence for a long time after that, and Noctis' thoughts drifted to Luna and how she had been so willing to give herself to him. Why couldn't he mark her? Yeah, it would have been a scandal. Two alphas mating and rutting in a public palace bathroom during a ball is the _least_ dignified way they could have bonded their souls together. But it was certainly _more_ scandalous and undignified to run away and then try and fuck some _stranger_ in a forest.

Why was he so hesitant to bite her, but so eager to use Prompto? He wanted to believe it was because he wanted their mating and first time to go perfectly, like a fairytale, because that's what his friend deserved, but something told himself that wasn't the case. Maybe a part of him was still unsure about wanting to spend the rest of his life with her. Or maybe Ignis and Gladio suddenly appearing in their private moment was the reason. Maybe he was too startled. Maybe it was easier to use someone who would have been easily discarded and forgotten by him.

Noctis wished he could forget it all.

"…I bet Luna hates me now…"

Gladio sighed. "I'd be more worried about her brother, if I were you. That guy isn't someone to cross. And he's definitely protective of Lunafreya."

Noctis closed his eyes, suddenly feeling like he would be carsick. He didn't want to think about that jerk. " _He's_ gonna be a fun new relative, huh? Life of the party, that one."

Gladio smirked. "I'd love to punch that guy in his smug face."

"There will be no punching of anyone's face, Gladio." Ignis huffed and turned the radio up, needed to drown out any reminder of what an awful trip this had turned out to be.

Noctis just stared at Prompto and hoped the still wanted to be friends with him once this was all over.


	7. Chapter 6

Getting into the castle had been an utter bitch.

As it turned out, all the news reporters from the party had decided to stalk Insomnia's castle now, waiting at the front gate and trying to catch a glimpse of the runaway prince. Gladiolus spotted the crowd from a mile away, thanks to his enhanced alpha vision, giving Ignis enough time to take an alternate route to the right that circled around to the back of the castle instead. There was no back entrance, so the trio had to park the car across the street and try to look as inconspicuous and normal as possible while scaling the wall of the castle gate with an unconscious, bleeding boy in their arms. Then, afterwards, they had to sneak past the various guards on the grounds, so they would not be able to alert the king of their arrival.

Once they were safely inside Noctis' bedroom, they all heaved a sigh of relief.

"I thought we'd _never_ get here..." Noctis grumbled and took his friend from Gladiolus, placing him on the bed as gently as possible. He was even paler than when he was in the car, the shirt that was tied around his head was now visibly covered with a worrying amount of blood. "Iggy, call the doctor, please."

"Already on it." Ignis had a royal family doctor on speed dial ever since Noctis' daemon encounter as a child.

The man clicked the contact button and waited a brief moment before the line was picked up. "Ah, yes, good day. I need to request your services immediately. It will have to be a house call of sorts, as we aren't able to leave the confines of Noctis' bedroom." Noctis could hear the doctor talk on the other end, but couldn't make out the words. "Oh, no, the prince is perfectly fine." Ignis glanced at the prince and was reminded of his large bruises. "Well… Maybe _he_ isn't fine, either. No, this is a house call for a friend of the family. We need you as soon as possible. Head wound. Bleeding. Will more than likely need stitches, I believe." More mumbled talking on the other line. "Yes, thank you, Doctor. We are immensely grateful. Oh! And if you could be so kind as to not tell anyone why you're here? There seems to be quite the crowd of paparazzi outside. Yes, of course. Thank you again. Goodbye." Ignis hung up and pocketed his phone.

Gladiolus stood in front of one of the large windows that covered the wall next to Noctis' bed and watched out for any signs of the doctor, arms crossed and shoulder against the wall. "How long do you think it will take for him to get here?"

"With any luck, only half an hour. Depends on traffic."

Noctis sighed and sat on thee edge of the bed next to Prompto. The blood was sure to get on his pillows and sheets but that was ok. It wasn't like he couldn't get more. The blonde's face would go between serene and pained in his sleep, lips parted slightly and chest rising and falling in a rhythm that seemed too shallow and too slow for a person full of life. _'Come on, Prompto. Be strong. I know first hand that you can be. You'll get through this, buddy…'_

Ignis sat in a loveseat. "Care to indulge us in how this all went down?"

Gladiolus turned away from the window. "Yeah, I'm curious about it, too."

"Well. I wanted to go somewhere I could be alone, so I wouldn't be tempted to… _you know_ …"

"Lose your virginity?" Gladio only half-joked. There was, of course, some truth about it.

"Shut up, Gladio. Anyways. As it turns out, I wasn't alone, and once I saw him and smelled him, I just- I couldn't help myself. I chased him for a bit and he ended up in a tree." He vaguely pointed to his entire body. "That's how these happened. Any time I went for him, he'd throw apples at me. I'm actually pretty impressed by his aim. He didn't miss _once_."

Gladio beamed at the thought of the scrawny, bed-ridden beta besting an alpha prince of Insomnia. Of course, if Noctis had used his alpha influence, there would have been no competition. But still. "I like the kid already! What's his name- Prompto? Any kid that can do a number like that on _you_ is a friend of mine."

Noctis rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks, Big Guy…"

Ignis removed the broken glasses from his face and grimaced at the shattered lens. "Well, in any case, what's done is done. No helping it. But when this boy heals, he needs to leave the castle. This isn't the place for him, whether he is liked by the two of you or otherwise." Ignis didn't miss the small frown that formed on the prince's face. "I can give him a ride back to the farm and apologize to his boss. Hopefully he won't be let-go, with the amount of time he will be missing..." He caught a whiff of himself and crinkled his nose. He smelled like chocobo. "But, for now, perhaps a change of attire would do us some good… Don't want the doctor to see _or_ smell us like this…"

The other two agreed, each having some form of icky substance on them from some form of adventure, and they all left Prompto briefly to take showers and redress.

 **…**

' _Ow… My head…'_

Prompto's eyes fluttered open slowly. At first, his vision was blurred around the edges, making it hard to see where he was, so he closed his eyes and sniffed the air to try and find out, instead. There were a lot of scents to sort out. Rain and lavender was the strongest scent, seeming to be everywhere at once, all around him. That had to be Noctis. Firewood and pine. Though the smell reminded him of a forest, he could tell that it wasn't the actual forest itself, so it was safe to say he wasn't in that tree anymore. Cinnamon and vanilla. Now _that_ smell was unfamiliar, but it made him incredibly hungry. Finding no answers, he pressed his luck and opened his eyes to try to see again. This time around, things were much clearer.

The first thing he saw were three men, all bent over the bed to look down on him.

Noctis was recognizable immediately, looking clean and nice in a new outfit of a black t-shirt decorated in skulls with a black jacket on top. His hair was clean and brushed, but still stuck out in the back. The other two, however, caught him entirely off guard. One of them lean, with perfectly gelled-back sandy hair and piercing emerald green eyes framed by delicate glasses, dressed mostly formal attire. The other man was his exact opposite. Large and tanned, with rippling tattoo-covered muscles and eyes that were a deep, fiery amber, the left one in the middle of a thick line of a scar. His head was shaved short on either side of his head, leaving the rest to fall behind his head and down his back in long, messy waves.

Said man smirked down at the blonde once their eyes met. "Did it hurt, when you fell from Heaven?" A collective groan from the other two friends, and then, "What? I saw the opening and I took it!"

Prompto laughed weakly and decided he liked this guy. He worked on pushing himself up into a sitting position against large, soft pillows, grunting at the pain in the back of his head, and moving a hand to where he felt a freshly-stitched wound. He caught the feint smell of blood and knew that it was his own. "What the hell happened to me?"

"Ignis yelled at me, and I guess that startled you so badly, you fell out of the tree and hit your head...", Noctis supplied, looking down at the floor and shuffling his feet. Prompto could tell the boy felt responsible for all of this. Well, he wasn't _wrong_ for feeling that way. But Prompto was pretty easy-going. He rarely held grudges. Water under the bridge, and all that.

" _Oooohhh_. Well, that explains the pick-up line." Prompto looked to the shield then, giving him a mischievous smile and a wink. "Right back atcha, big guy."

Gladio laughed heartily and slapped a playful hand onto Prompto's shoulder. "I like this guy! He's got spunk."

Ignis walked to the other side of the blonde and placed a hand to his forehead. "Seems your fever has broken. That's good. Are you feeling hungry?"

Prompto didn't know what to think about this man yet. He couldn't get a read on him. "Uh… I don't know? I think so." Prompto couldn't feel much else besides a pulsing pain at the back of his skull, but the beta's scent smelled like deserts and it was making his stomach jump to life.

He peered past the men around him and his eyes widened when he took in his surroundings.

The room was large, the largest room he'd ever been in, in fact. He sat in a plush, soft bed big enough to easily accommodate four grown men, and with leg room to spare. He could easily deduce that it was Noctis' bed, from the strong alpha scent that enveloped him as he sat in it. The entire wall to his right side was covered from ceiling to floor in tall, elegant windows that allowed a stunning view of the city around them, with glass double-doors leading out to a spacious balcony. To his left was a loveseat angled towards the bed, placed next to a large dresser that could probably hold enough clothes to last half a year, easily. In front of him and the bed, in the distance, seemed to be a large sitting area. Three long, plush, leather couches placed in a half-circle around a coffee table with a glass surface. And on the wall in front of it all was home to a very large fireplace with the biggest flat-screen tv Prompto could ever imagine seeing hung above it.

After taking it all in, he proclaimed with a voice full of wonder, "If I fell from Heaven, I don't wanna go back! This place is _amazing_! Noctis, are you rich or what?!" Food had suddenly gone to the back-burner of his mind to instead awe at everything his eyes swept over.

The retainers' attention shifted off the blonde and to the prince instead, their faces reading disappointment.

Ignis pressed his fingers between his eyes, at the bridge of his nose, trying to will back his growing headache. Noctis… Does he not know?"

Noctis looked at the floor, the ceiling, out the window. Anywhere except his advisor. "Umm… Not really?"

"I don't know what?" Prompto looked enthusiastically interested.

Noctis took a deep breath and locked eyes with his new friend. "I'm kind of… the Prince of Insomnia."

Prompto sat up entirely straight, almost bouncing in place at the revelation, concussion-be-damned. "What?! For real?! Oh, my _Gods_ , that's so amazing!" And then in the blink of an eye, his happy and excited demeaner did a complete 180 and he became worried and anxious. "Oh. Oh _Gods_. I kicked the Prince in the _face_. I beat him up. Oh, _Gods_. I'm gonna be beheaded."

Ignis smiled at the scene, despite himself. He had to admit, this boy was a breath of fresh air when all the bespectacled man knew was a moody alpha prince. "No one is going to _behead_ you, Prompto. No one in the castle even knows you exist yet. We snuck you in quite tediously. And I'm sure Noctis would agree that neither he nor the king will punish a beta for defending himself against a rut-crazed alpha."

Prompto seemed to settle down after a bit, hearing that. "Oh. I guess so." He focused his attention on his dark-haired friend. "You aren't hurt too bad, are you?"

"Nah. Not really. I'm a little sore, but otherwise I'm good."

"Oh, _man_ , this is so cool! I'm friends with a prince!" He stopped and gave said friend a cautious, unsure look. "We… _are_ friends… right?"

Noctis chuckled and smiled warmly at the freckled blonde. "Yeah. We're friends."

" _Awesome_! Can I look around?! How big is your bathroom?" The excitable Prompto made a move to try and get out of bed, but Ignis stopped him.

"There will be no getting out of bed for you, young man. Not until we are sure you're healed a bit more and give King Regis word of your arrival. Noct has a lot of things to discuss with his father, and I'd rather you not wander around and cause rumors before we can address the reporters. You arrived here at a very inopportune time, I'm afraid. A lot of things are going on."

"Yeah? What happened?"

There were those looks of disappointment from the retainers again.

"Um… you remember that arranged mating I told you about?" Prompto nodded, hanging onto every word. "Yeah, well, she's kinda… The Princess Oracle of Altissia. And I left in the middle of announcing everything to the public. So now I guess they think I ran away… Which, I guess, I kinda did? But in any case, I have to make things right and come up with something to tell them. It's gonna suck."

"Dude. That really does suck. I do _not_ envy you."

Noctis huffed. "Neither do I."

"I hate to pull you away from wallowing in your sins, Noctis, but I think it's about time we met with King Regis and explain what happened. And I should probably explain to my father of my own failures as well." Gladio didn't look happy in the least bit to do any of that, but he had to do it.

Noct knew he was right, but didn't want to leave. He was sure to get an earful. Possibly a grounding. He hoped to get a swift, painful death instead.

"Yeah. You're right. Um. Ignis, could you watch over Prompto for a bit?"

"But of course. It should be nice, chatting with a fellow beta instead of a stubborn alpha, for once."

Prompto smiled at the advisor. "I'd like that."

With one more sigh, Noctis and Gladio made their way out of the bedroom and towards the throne room to meet their doom.

 **…**

They entered the throne room and regretted it immensely.

"Noctis, my son. Welcome back. How was your trip? I hope all went well?"

King Regis sat on his throne, talking in a casual tone, and looking to be the picture of unbothered and content. If someone were to take his picture, it would seem like a happy one. Perhaps they'd even catch a smile. But the scent he let off and the absolute alpha power that hung heavy and thick in the air told the boys otherwise. Oh, yes, his father was livid. They were lucky he had no appointments with concerned citizens or anything so that more people weren't there to witness his shame. Only a few guards and some retainers and the two boys in question.

"Yes, father." Noctis didn't miss the slight squint of his father's eyes as he stared down on him from his throne.

"And Gladiolus! You're here as well. Wonderful. I was hoping I could catch you before you retired for the evening. Will I be seeing Ignis, too?"

Gladio struggled to breathe through the livid aura his King was laying on them, even from the distance they were standing from him in the room. It took him longer than he thought it would to gather enough oxygen in his lungs to reply, but when he did it came out as a raspy, "Regrettably, no, Your Highness. He had some errands to attend to, I'm afraid. It's just us for the evening."

Gladiolus could see his father standing at the king's right-hand side like he usually was, shaved head and icy blue eyes, stormy with anger towards the shield, dressed in his crownsguard attire and giving off a special burning scent, tuned specifically to him, and filled with just as much unbridled rage and authority as the king's. Suddenly Gladio was wishing he had picked a different profession.

The gravity felt about ten times stronger than normal in the room and it was enough to make the boys nauseous. And this was the king when he was angry in _public_. Noctis didn't even want to think about how differently he would be scolded in private.

"A shame, I really wanted to talk to Ignis as well. Although, I guess I will see him around the castle later. But, forget that. Noctis, tell me about how fun your evening was. In detail, if you would. I've been _dying_ to hear it."

Noctis swallowed the thick lump in his throat and his lips felt dryer than sandpaper. "Well, we arrived at the party on time. I danced with Luna and we talked for a bit. It was nice. Then we announced our engagement."

"And then?"

Noctis felt the words more than he heard them. His mind felt like it was vibrating. "Um. Well. I had to leave early because I started my rut early. Nerves and all."

"Oh? What did you do?"

Noctis hesitated, "I ran away, sir."

Before the king could reply, Gladio stood proud and straight, purposely avoiding eye contact with the Regis or his father as he began, "Your Highness, Noctis felt like it was not the opportune time to mate Lady Lunafreya. It would have been scandalous to rut at a formal event meant for the two of them. Noctis was trying so save Lady Lunafreya immense embarrassment. After all, they are saving each other for after the prince turns twenty. Surely, you can see Noctis had great reason to-"

He was cut off by his father. "Rut or no rut. That may excuse the prince, but that certainly does not excuse _you_ , Gladiolus. Where were you while your prince was off?"

"I was with Ignis. We tried to catch up with him, but we-"

"Do you take your vows as a retainer and a shield seriously?"

"Yes, of course, father. I-"

"Then you should know all too well that the prince should _NEVER_ be out of your sight while outside of Insomnia. Do you have any idea what could have happened?"

Gladio stayed silent and grit his teeth, staring down at the floor instead of meeting his father's eyes. Noctis frowned. "Dad… Gladiolus tried his best. I took the ferry without them. I was ashamed of myself, and I'm sorry. Please don't be hard on him…"

Some of the pressure was lifted from the atmosphere and Regis softened slightly. That pouty, sad look his son gave him always melted his heart. The king leaned back in his chair and sighed deeply. "Noctis. What you did yesterday was an embarrassment. I expect you to correct it with the press no later than tonight. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"You will also contact Queen Sylva and give her your most sincere apologies. And since you made a mockery of her own celebration for you, I expect you to plan another party in their honor. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good."

The King may have been content with his son, but Clarus certainly wasn't. He addressed Gladiolus with a stern voice and unwavering alpha posture. "Gladiolus, you have failed your prince and the Amicitia name. Think heavily about what you have done. I expect you to double your training over the next week. You are also to polish and sharpen everything in the armory. Do I make myself clear?"

Gladio grimaced. "Yes, father."

"Go, then."

Clavus dismissed them both and it was with heavy footsteps that they left.

 **…**

Prompto sat in the bed and stared at Ignis as the man sat a tray of decadent pancakes in front of him, freshly made by the advisor himself and topped with whipped cream, drizzles of chocolate, and fresh strawberries. "Oh, Six, this looks amazing! You _made_ this?" He wasted no time at all with digging in, shoveling large fork-fulls into his mouth and chewing enthusiastically. Ignis smiled at the little wiggle Prompto did as he ate.

"Indeed. I often make meals for Noctis whenever I can. Cooking is a hobby of mine."

"I've never eaten anything this good in my _life_! Are there seconds?" Prompto's plate was already one more mouthful away from being empty. Actually. Forget seconds. Thirds, maybe?"

"You shouldn't eat too much. It won't be good for your health. I'll make you more tomorrow."

"Dude. Forget about my weight, I run every day! I'll burn off the calories _easy_! Pleeassseee?" Prompto didn't realize how hungry he was until he had his first mouthful of those delectable pancakes and any idea of stopping soon made him whine inwardly a little. Rarely did he get a filling meal at all, let alone one as good as this one. Ignis could tell as much by the pleading look on the boy's face.

"Perhaps I'll make more later. For now, you need your rest."

"I'll rest when I'm dead! I'm _way_ too excited to sleep now! I mean, have you _seen_ this place?" He noticed Ignis' incredulous stare. "Oh. Wait- of course you have. You live here. But, like, this place is _amazing_!" His hands flailed around him and Ignis couldn't help but imagine a baby chocobo nestled under the blankets. It warmed his heart, even though the thought of birds made him remember he was down one pair of glasses.

"It is beautiful, indeed. And this is just the prince's bedroom. There's an entire castle outside of this room, full of antiques and extravagancies."

"The only thing this place is missing is chocobos!"

"The castle does just fine without them, if you ask me."

"Aww, someone doesn't like chocobos!" Prompto pretended to pout, crossing his arms and raising his eyebrows at Ignis.

"They smell. And they aren't exactly the friendliest of creatures." He wasn't backing down.

"I think they can tell you don't like them."

"With good reason."

"So, like, is this where I'm staying for the night? In Noct's bedroom?"

Ignis shook his head. "No, of course not. You'll get your own room for tonight right down the hall. Gladio and I also have rooms down there. We have to stay close to him. The rooms are a little smaller, but are no less comfy, I assure you"

Prompto smiled. "That's pretty cool."

They sat in silence for a long while.

Prompto was ok with silence. Ignis, on the other hand, was thinking ahead of now, planning out princely schedules and important events and training. Noct's birthday was in three months and there was a lot to do to prepare him to take the throne. As he looked at the bubbly blonde in front of him, he frowned a bit. The kid seemed nice enough, but he was a commoner, a stranger, and in no way belonged in the palace for a lengthy time.

Even more so, he only knew Prompto for a few minutes' time and could already see how alike he and Noctis were in goofing off and could only foresee his presence as a hinderance to Noctis instead of an asset. Not to mention, Prompto had never been accustomed to a higher living lifestyle and it would no doubt be harder on him to go back to being homeless the longer he stayed. Yes, it was probably a harsh thought, but the correct one, in Ignis' mind. And he knew no one else would have the balls to bring it up. So, it was up to him, as much as his stomach flipped hard at the thought. Prompto really was a sweet little beta…

With a clearing of his throat, Ignis started, "Prompto. May I talk to you about something? And please, don't take this the wrong way." Prompto levelled the advisor with a slightly worried stare, but nodded for the man to continue. "You know you can't stay here… right?"

Prompto reeled back where he sat a little, eyebrows furrowing. He didn't expect their conversation to take this turn. He also didn't expect to feel the pain in his heart at hearing those words. Sure, he'd heard them a lot in his life, especially on the streets of Lestallum. But here? He should have expected it, but in everything that was happening he never indulged the thought. Of course he shouldn't be there. He shouldn't have even _met_ the prince in the first place.

He laughed a hollow, too- practiced laugh and hoped Ignis wouldn't see or feel his ego crack. "Oh, yeah. Sure. I know. No problem. Wasn't trying to."

Ignis definitely noticed. It made it all the harder to continue.

"It's not that we don't like you. Really, I think we are all quite fond of you already. But the prince has duties and obligations and he doesn't have time to indulge in frolicking with new friends. He's about to take the throne, and it's best he sticks to his normal life… Do you understand?"

"Yeah, I got it. I'll leave as soon as I'm all better, don't worry… Sound good?" The fake, toothy smile also did not fool Ignis.

The conversation could not continue any further, to Prompto and Ignis' collective relief, because that's when the door to Noctis' bedroom opened, and the prince and his shield shuffled inside silently, still feeling aftershocks of alpha rage. They'd probably be feeling it for hours. The other two boys could smell it on them.

They both acted as though their previous conversation never happened, for now.

"How did it go?"

"Dad was pissed." Noctis threw himself lazily into one of the sofas and stared up at the ceiling, imagining like as a normal citizen of Insomnia instead of the heir to the throne. "I have to apologize to Luna's mom and throw a make-up party."

"That doesn't sound so bad."

"That's because your entire life revolves around planning, Iggy. I hate formal shit."

Gladio chose to keep standing by the door. "My dad was worse. I don't think I'll be seeing much of you guys for the next week… Gotta do some training and stuff…"

Prompto bit his bottom lip and squirmed in his place on the bed, not liking the sour mood in the room. "I like parties. I can help you plan?" He smiled a small smile that mostly went unnoticed as everyone wallowed in their sorrows.

"I think I can manage.", Ignis retorted, "You just focus on getting better."

"Yeah, but-! I need to repay you guys somehow for taking care of me like this. I don't have any money, and I'm not particularly good at anything, but… I dunno… I wanna do _something_." The blonde's sulking face tugged on Ignis' heart strings and it reminded him thoroughly of the way Noctis used to beg for things as a child.

He gave in.

"…Fine. But only until you're healed enough to return to Wiz's. We aren't holding you hostage. You'll have to leave this castle eventually."

That seemed to lift the blonde's spirits a little. "Cool!"

Noctis sighed. "Iggy, what dumb prince stuff do I have to do today?"

Ignis checked his planner on his phone. "Let's see… Weapons training, Historical briefings, National Relations tutoring, sparring practice, and I penciled you in another dancing lesson. The way you were dancing with Lady Lunafreya left much to be desired."

"Add in a public speech at nightfall. King's orders. He's gotta address those reporters." Gladio supplied.

"Done and done."

"Afterwards?"

"Nothing. The night is all yours."

Noctis sat up in his spot on the couch and caught Prompto's eyes from across the room. "Do you like video games?"

The freckled beta gave the prince a sheepish look. "Um… Dude… Never had a _home_. Which _kinda_ means I've never played a video game."

Noctis gave his new friend a fiendish grin. "Perfect. That means I'll be winning."

The night could not come quicker, and Noctis hoped the day flew by.


	8. Chapter 7

"YES! I win again!"

Noctis practically slammed the game controller to the floor as he jumped up from his seat on the leather couch to sprint in a victory lap around the expanse of his bedroom. It was probably his tenth win on whatever fighting game Noctis chose. Any other person would probably be irritated at the losing streak or the insanely gloaty gesture, but not Prompto. Prompto was just glad to be there, honestly. ' _Video games are pretty fun'_ , he decided. Even if he couldn't hold a controller right and what button controlled what went right over his head, leaving no form of strategy and just pure, unadulterated button mashing. The characters were vivid and colorful, and the background music was upbeat, and the character deaths were ridiculous and it all made Prompto's heart race with excitement.

"Hey, no fair, dude! I'm totally not in my element!"

Prompto laughed heartily at his friend and turned around in the chair to follow his friend's path through the room. When Noctis jumped back onto the couch, he just grinned and sprawled his arms to lay on top of the expanse of the back of the couch, in a very cocky sort of body language. The prince was drunk of the power of winning so much.

Prompto had slept through most of the day while Noct, Ignis, and Gladiolus were off doing their own jobs and duties around the castle. At first, sleep couldn't have dragged him under, even if it took him kicking and screaming. As soon as everyone was gone and couldn't force him to lay down and _rest_ , he hopped out of bed, ignoring the way his head swam and ached at the sudden movement, and walked around the room. He awed at everything, from furniture to trinkets, to framed portraits, to clothes. He even opened the large doors to peer into Noctis' bathroom, and boy, was that an experience.

The bathroom was a pearly white color with floor tiles that matched, every couple of tiles being a lovely silver, to throw a splash of color in. One wall was nothing but sleek counters and large sinks and expansive mirrors. Next to that, in one of the corners of the room, shallow stairs led up to a deep jacuzzi tub that could easily fit a few people comfortably. The other side of the room had a large towel hutch and a glossy toilet. The kind that had crazy buttons that would do things Prompto didn't even want to think about.

But once the initial excitement left him and he had memorized every detail about his temporary cage, Prompto climbed back under the silky sheets of Noct's bed with a contented sigh. Everything all felt surreal. It kind of felt like he woke up in a fairytale. Like Cinderella or some shit. Noctis' scent all over the bed filled his head and before he even knew it, he was out like a light, only waking up to go to the bathroom or take more pain medicine for his head. Until, of course, Noctis loudly entered his room with a loud whine at all the princely torture he had been put through.

After that, it was all video games and giggles.

"What do you want to do now?" Noctis asked, eyes flashing with a childish abandon that Noctis hadn't felt in years. Having a new friend was everything Noctis didn't know he wanted. Someone who wouldn't bug him with schedules or training or courting. Just a regular guy.

Prompto thought about it for a moment before his stomach grumbled loudly. It had been hours since he had last eaten. "Food?"

"Sure. What are you in the mood for?"

" _Anything._ I'm _dying_ over here." It felt true enough to the beta, who hadn't eaten anything since those pancakes Ignis had made him that morning.

Noctis chuckled and darted off the couch to duck underneath his bed, reaching his arm out to fish for something. When the alpha returned, his hands were holding all the ingredients the two needed for smores. Marshmallows, graham crackers, and bars of chocolate. Prompto gave him an incredulous look. "Smores? Um. Noctis, sorry to say, but we're _inside_? Aren't smores an _outdoor_ food?"

Noctis scoffed and looked down at his friend. "Prom, I do this all the time. It just takes a well-calculated Fira spell. Want to try?"

Prompto was hesitant, but nodded. Noctis sat all of the ingredients down on the coffee table and opened the packages up one by one before taking a small glass bottle out of his pocket and holding it up to Prompto's face. He could see flames dancing inside of the glass and it was almost mesmerizing. It was the first time Prompto had seen a smell bottle so closely. The venders in Lestallum never cared to let him get too close, thinking he'd try and steal them. "Whoa. Cool.", he breathed and shared a small smile with Noctis for a brief moment before Noctis crushed the small bottle in his hand.

Prompto flinched, expecting an explosion, but relaxed as the flames swirled around Noctis's hand a few times instead before resting in his palm, fluttering an inch or so above his skin. Noctis had excellent control over his spells from all his training with Gladiolus. "Ok. Grab that marshmallow." Noctis commanded and Prompto complied, dangling the puffy sweet over the small flame.

The blonde's eyes sparkled brightly as Noctis willed the flames to encircle the marshmallow, turning it a delicious shade of golden brown, before falling back towards his palm. Prompto smooshed the marshmallow between chocolate and graham crackers and took a bite, not even waiting for the treat to cool. He practically moaned, the treat was so good.

"Told ya!" The prince smirked, proud of his little trick. "When you're as bored as I am on a daily basis, you tend to teach yourself a few things." Prompto finished his smore and Noctis totally didn't let his eyes linger as the blonde sucked chocolate off his fingertips. Not at all. "Wanna learn?" He let the flames dissipate into thin air and handed another little spell bottle to Prompto.

"Umm… I'm not sure… I've never dealt with spells or anything before… How do I, you know, _do_ it?" Hesitantly, he took the bottle from the alpha in one of his hands. He could feel the heat radiating through the glass and it made him nervous.

"Concentration is key. You can't be afraid. You have to control the fire, don't let the fire control you."

" _Be_ the fire. Got it. Anything else?"

Yeah. Stay calm. Keep your emotions evan. If you aren't calm, the fire could easily grow out of control."

Prompto took a steadying breath and waited for his heartbeat to drum as evenly and slowly as possible. "Ok. I think I'm ready…"

"Then go for it!" Noctis urged, and with only a little more hesitation, Prompto crushed the bottle in his hands, the glass turning to ash and getting swallowed up in the hungry fire. He felt a flash of heat, almost painful but not entirely, and then he was cradling the small fire in his palm, the flames licking his skin and flickering like a heartbeat. Probably in time with his heartbeat, more accurately.

Prompto was about to get excited but noticed the fire beginning to expandi with his emotions and quickly reeled himself in. "This is so cool." He uttered it in a whisper, afraid to speak too loudly and upset the fire.

Noctis grabbed a marshmallow and dangled it between his fingers over the flames.

"How do I make it do what you did?"

"You're not ready for that yet, Prom. It's too dangerous for you right now."

"Oh. Ok. I wish I had someone cool like Gladio to teach _me_ spells and junk."

"Well, I addressed the reporters earlier today, so he heat should be off me for a while. I don't think it would be scandalous if people see me walking around with some mystery guy. So, if you want to come and watch us train tomorrow morning, you can. I'm sure he wouldn't mind showing you some stuff." Noctis constructed his own smore and bit into it eagerly. "If you're feeling up to it, that it. With your injury and all."

Prompto bounced in place and his eyes sparkled. "Really? Seriously? I can?"

He looked like a little kid, sitting across from the prince. It never ceased to amaze Noctis, how excited the beta would get over any and every new experience. It was endearing. Almost cute.

Almost.

Some time went by, and once the two were finished with their messy snacks, it was almost midnight. Noctis frowned when he looked at the clock. "I guess it's time to get to bed. Practice starts at 6am, if that's cool with you. We like to do it early in the morning, before it gets too hot."

"Yeah, that's cool. I wake up early naturally, anyways."

They made to move off the couch and towards the large bed and Noctis made a face of slight disgust. "Ew. You _like_ getting up early?"

Prompto punched his friend on the shoulder lightly. "Uh, yeah? I like to go running in the mornings."

Suddenly everything clicked. "Oh. No wonder you were so good at running from me the other day."

"Haha. Yeah." Prompto recalled the memory and could feel his cheeks flush warmly. Suddenly the vision on Noct's eyes, deep with lust and breathing heavy, sprung to mind and he physically shook his head to make it go away. Which probably wasn't the best idea, because now the room was spinning. Prompto swayed a little as he walked and Noctis went to his side, ready to catch him if he fell.

"Prom, you ok? Does your head hurt?"

"Maybe a little? I think I'm just sleepy… You got some pajamas I can borrow?"

"Sure." The prince went to his dresser and pulled out a deep red t-shirt and some dark grey boxers and dark flannel sleeping pants. "These should fit you."

"Cool. Thanks, Noct."

Prompto went about taking off his jacket and tank top, and Noctis took the opportunity to see how his friend looked underneath.

Prompto's skin was pale like the rest of him, but his back and shoulders showed remnants of a slight tan with fading tan lines. He was lean, but muscles rippled underneath his skin with his movements. Freckles splattered across his bare shoulders and trailed some ways down his back, seeming to be less frequent the further down they went. His stomach was flat, and Noctis hoped it was from his fitness and not his malnourishment. He had pink nipples. Why Noctis was mentally filing that knowledge into the recesses of his brain, he didn't know. But there it was. His hip bones and collarbones were slightly prominent and were also lightly speckled in freckles. Prompto undid and slid his pants down his legs and Noctis could see the light blonde legs hairs and freckles there. Prompto went to grab at the waistband of his boxers but stopped undressing when he noticed Noctis' eyes on him.

"Um. Dude. A little privacy?"

Noctis turned bright red and swiftly turned around to put his back to the blonde. "Yeah. Sorry." Why was he staring? Since when had he been staring? Noctis blamed it on spacing out because of sleepiness. Yes, that must have been it.

Prompto took off his boxers and threw all his clothes in a corner before putting on the ones Noct gave him. "Alright. I'm decent." Noctis turned back as Prompto pulled the t-shirt over his messy hair and lean body. The prince flopped onto the bed and the beta hesitated.

"Um. Ignis said that there was a room for me down the hall? Wanna show it to me?"

Noctis would have. He really would have, but with all the fun they had been having that night, he didn't want it to end. The thought of being left in his room alone made him want to outwardly whine. "You can crash with me, if you want. I don't mind." He hoped he sounded casual and not needy and bratty, like a kid who wasn't ready to stop playing with his toys and clean his room.

Prompto just shrugged and gently crawled into bed and plopped down next to his friend. He had no issues with it. The bed was huge, with plenty of room for them to spread out and not even bump into each other, and it was mega comfy. But that didn't stop them from laying so close that their legs bumped against one another. The bed smelt nice, like Noctis and Prompto didn't mind the thought of sleeping in it again at all.

Noctis clapped his hands loudly twice and the lights dimmed to nothing, the room now only lit up by the moonlight flooding in through the windows.

"Sweet Six, I'll never get over how fucking _cool_ your castle is, Noct." Prompto breathed out dreamily and the alpha let out a small laugh.

Sleep, as it seemed, did not come easily to either of them. Noctis laid there, unmoving, staring up at the ceiling, with limbs spread out over the blankets. Prompto took to laying on his side, arms cradling a large pillow to his stomach and legs tangled in Noct's. They sat in comfortable silence.

Prompto stared at Noctis' profile as the prince stared almost unblinkingly at the ceiling above them, and he watched his chest rise and fall with every breath. How did he get so lucky to befriend Noctis? It all seemed so surreal. That sweet smell of rain and lilacs filtered into the blonde's lungs with every breath and it made him calm like no other thing had. He wondered why Noctis' scent was so mellowing. Lost in thought, Prompto barely registered it when Noctis turned his head to stare into his eyes.

Prompto looked so silly and childish, laying on his side and clutching his pillow to his chest, and covering the lower half of his face so only the bridge of his nose and those large, sky blues peering over the top. In the moonlight of the room, the beta's freckles reminded Noctis of stars. His legs shifted over the princes slightly, and his skin felt warm. The smell of honeysuckle and fresh peaches wrapped around him and he breathed it in deeply. If Noctis' alpha made Prompto calm, Prompto's beta smell made Noctis antsy, like he wanted to get up and do something, but he didn't know what. But Noctis stayed where he was and just continued to stare into his friend's eyes for a little while longer.

If either boy was uncomfortable with the lingering gazes, neither voiced it.

Suddenly, Noct's voice cut through the comfortable silence, softly asking, "So, is this a better sleepover than the last one we had?"

Prompto's eyes crinkled and Noctis heard a muffled laugh from behind the pillow. "Oh, _much_ better. You're keeping your dick in your pants tonight, right? Because I don't see any trees around here and I don't think marshmallows would make for good ammo."

Noctis laughed this time, slapping his friend on the arm and letting his hand linger there for a bit before pulling it away and resting it over his own stomach. "No boners here, tonight. Just my company."

A few minutes of silence went by, and Prompto worried his bottom lip a little with his thoughts and feelings. He thought about not saying it, but it just felt so right to want to say it. "Noctis, I'm really glad you're my friend."

Noctis smiled. "Same."

"I wish I could stay here with you guys forever." There it was. He said it. It was out there and there was no taking it back. They'd only known each other for roughly 24 hours and already Prompto had become attached. He knew it must have looked strange and needy to other people. But hey, when you have nothing and then suddenly have everything, it was hard to let go. Prompto loved Wiz like the father he never had and working at the chocobo farm was fun and fulfilling, but whenever he thought about leaving the castle and the warm scent of the prince, he felt like he could cry.

"Me too."

Now, _that_ wasn't a response Prompto expected.

The blonde clutched his pillow tighter to his chest. "Really? You don't think I'm clingy or anything?"

"Not any clingier than _I_ am.", The prince responded, shifting to turn on his side as well, facing the other boy. "Iggy and the Big Guy are nice and all, but I kinda like having someone around who's fun and isn't always scolding me or bossing me around, you know? It's nice. Relaxing. I feel like I can be myself around you, and that's something I haven't felt with anyone other than my retainers." A thought crossed Noctis' mind then, and the prince jumped a little with it. "Hey. I think I might know of a way you _can_ stay here, actually."

The blonde unconsciously scooted closer to Noctis, listening with undivided attention and eagerness to hear what he had to say. "Yeah? Spill the beans."

"Well, I've been meaning to pick another retainer for a while, now. I could just pick you."

Prompto didn't think that sounded like a real thing that could happened. He gave his friend a skeptical look. "But… Don't your retainers have to be able to protect you? Like, with weapons and stuff? Noct, I wouldn't be able to protect myself from a strong breeze, let alone someone trying to take your life."

The prince chuckled despite how serious Prompto looked about his previous statement. "You defended yourself against _me_ just fine. Besides, certified or not, it's my choice. And I'm kind of a big deal around here."

The freckled boy rolled his eyes and smiled. "Oh, yes. Of course. How could I forget?"

"I'll bring it up to Iggy and Gladdy later. You can try out some weapons tomorrow and see what suits you. I'll help."

The idea definitely seemed nice. Prompto doubted it would actually bear fruit, but he allowed himself to entertain the idea anyways, gracing Noctis with a wide grin. "Then we better get some sleep. Gotta be my best tomorrow."

"You bet. Night, Prom."

"Night, Noct."

The two fell asleep comfortably right there on top of the blankets, with legs entangles and scents mingling.


	9. Chapter 8

Prompto is up before Noctis' alarm even sounds off.

It's no surprise to him. He's always up before the sun is, usually. His habit of going on early morning runs set him on this unnaturally early-rising sleep schedule. Probably for life. It's one of Prompto's favorite parts of the day, though. Running helped clear his mind. Helped him to forget who he was, what he didn't have, what unsure future laid ahead of him, things of that nature. It let him shed his skin in a way, dropping the weight of his life to the ground as he ran, faster and faster, with nothing but the feeling of the wind in his face and the pounding of his heart.

On the farm, he loved to chase the chocobos, racing them on foot on the tracks, and sometimes almost winning. Wiz would sometimes watch Prompto while feeding the birds their greens. He would always cheer Prompto on and swear that Prompto was always _'this close'_ to beating his feathered competition. It always made the boy grin from ear to ear.

Unfortunately, it was probably not good manners to go running through someone else's home. So, needless to say, this morning would involve no running. Maybe some other day.

Prompto sat up, stretching his arms above his head and yawning. He wiped the sleep from his eyes lazily and went to look at the clock on the bedside table.

5:45am. Not too early, only a little. Blinking, he looked around the bed. Unsurprisingly, the boys had passed out on top of the blankets, and with an extreme lack of pillows to support their necks. Prompto felt a dull ache in his spine and knew he probably slept on it all kinds of wrong. Noctis wasn't far from where he had fell asleep, unsurprisingly. The prince was a sight to see, though, and Prompto had to cover his mouth with his hand to prevent a laugh from waking him up.

The prince had somehow stolen the pillow Prompto had started out with. He was laying on his stomach, with the pillow cradled beneath him, his face to the side, mouth hanging open and drool pooling beneath him. His hair was a complete and utter mess, matted in some places and sticking out crazily in others. His legs were folded underneath him, like he had started off sitting or something. Kinda cute, Prompto thought. _'Like someone who was having bad cramps and then just knocked the fuck out.'_ It was the only way the blonde could explain it, really. The prince's bruises had faded some, but only slightly.

He heard soft snoring through the silence of the room and smiled even wider.

Noct was a snorer.

He looked so unprincely and strange like that, Prompto was kind of amazed that he was looking at the future ruler of Insomnia.

He stifled another yawn and went to feel the back of his head, fingers lightly brushing over his stitches. The area stung a little with his actions, but it thankfully didn't hurt as much as it had the day before. That was good. Those pain pills must have some kick in them. Either that, or his injury wasn't as bad as he thought. _'Maybe it'll heal up by the end of the week?'_ , Prompto wondered. On one hand, that would be good. The places where the stitches were itched a little and it only hurt to try and scratch it. On the other, though, that meant he was well enough to leave the castle and go back to his old life.

He shook those thoughts from his head a little vigorously, despite how it made his head throb and the room seem to spin a little, blinked away the last remnants of sleep and took a deep, easy breath. Oh, yeah. He was awake now. All that was left was to wake up Noctis.

"Hey. Noct. Wake up, it's time to go."

The alpha furrowed his eyes a bit and clutched the pillow closer to his body, but otherwise didn't show any signs of waking up. The blonde didn't fully realize it yet, but Noctis was notorious in the castle for loving sleep. If he could, Noctis would sleep for days on end. Truly, the epitome of laziness.

"Dude. Come on. I am _not_ laying in bed all day again. Nu-uh. Not this beta."

Noctis squinted his eyes tightly before forcing them to crack open a bit to stare at his friend. "Five more minutes. Then I'll get up, I swear." His eyes closed again, and with a sigh of content he shifted on the bed to turn his back to Prompto in his stubbornness to try and catch a few more minutes of blissful sleep.

Unfortunately for him, more sleep was not on the agenda.

Prompto huffed playfully. "Five more minutes my _ass_." He put his hands on Noctis' forearm and shook him. "What do I look like, some pushover? You _know_ me better than that, Noct. Let's go! Up and at 'em!"

Noctis groaned and swatted his friend's hands away. "Fine", he mumbled. "I'm up! I'm up! _Gods_ …" He stretched his limbs and it reminded Prompto of a cat. Noctis opened his eyes and shot Prompto a glare that didn't hold much substance. "You suck, you know that?"

Prompto just rolled his eyes, smiling, and went to get out of the bed. Noctis wasn't too far behind, only lounging around on the plush blankets for a few more minutes. Then the two of them shed their sleepwear, put their regular clothes on, and made their way to meet with Gladiolus.

Prompto glanced down the large hallway towards where Ignis had mentioned the retainers' bedrooms where. He wondered if Ignis would know he didn't sleep in his room that night. He wondered if that was something he should even be wondering about. Then the only thing he was wondering, as they passed many grand rooms and halls, is just which of The Astrals favored him enough to have let him end up in this castle.

 **…**

The training room of the castle was immaculate. As large as a football field, and with many different sections, each designed for something different. Some other specialty. Prompto's eyes were large and glittering as he looked over every detail of it, from the glass ceilings that let natural light fall on his skin, to the many different weapons that adorned the walls, to the various people and animal-shaped targets that were scattered throughout the grounds. He turned in circles as he walked, trying to take it all in as the two boys approached Gladio. Noctis just smirked at the blonde's reaction.

Something told Prompto Noctis probably low-key liked to off-handedly brag about his possessions. He was probably a brat growing up.

When they reached the shield, he was demolishing one of the targets, slicing it with wide, heavy swings of his buster sword before jumping high in the air and finishing it off with a brutal downward slash, shaking the floor with its impact.

Prompto jumped a little when he felt the tremors beneath his feet, followed by the thick alpha aura that surrounded him, invisibly. One filled with pure, primal instinct, that promised a slow and painful death to anyone who meant harm to his or his own. Prompto almost struggled to breathe a bit and the wound on the back of his head throbbed. His eyes then focused a side glance at Noctis, who was walking easily beside him, seemingly unphased at all by the aura the shield gave off, like he could feel nothing of it at all.

' _What eve_ n are _alphas?'_ , the blonde thought incredulously.

Prompto wondered momentarily how much the aura would have affected him if he was an omega instead of a beta. Would he have fallen to the floor from the sheer force of it? Would he have cried? Would he have ran? Who knows. Other than the slight tightness in his chest and a feint buzzing in his ears, he was otherwise unaffected. But it was still a little scary to see Gladiolus like that. The beta could easily see why Gladiolus was a shield, in that moment. It suited him.

Gladiolus' sword disappeared with a shimmer of icy blue magic and stormy eyes cleared up almost instantly after picking up the scent of his prince and Prompto and seeing them walking up to him. He was kind of a mess, bare chest heaving and sweat dripping off him, pants ripped slightly in some areas and arms shaking a little from the exertion. He raised a hand and gave a small wave to them, flashing a wide grin.

"So, sleeping beauty actually woke up on time this morning? How'd ya manage that?"

Noctis smiled. "Kind of hard to sleep when you've got the worst morning person in the _world_ sleeping with you…", he joked and shot the blonde a look that was mostly bark and no bite.

Prompto just shrugged and feigned innocence. "I don't know what he's talking about, Gladdy."

"So. Slept in the prince's room last night, did you?" Gladiolus smiled, but his eyes had a particular glint in them. Like he wanted to say something. Like he was connecting imaginary dots or making predictions in his mind. Prompto pointedly ignored it and Noctis didn't seem to notice. In any case, the look left as quickly as it came. "Hope you got your beauty rest, princess. Cause training's gonna be brutal today. Father's orders."

Noctis nodded and slipped out of his dark jacket, handing it to Prompto, who took it gladly. "Yeah, I figured... What are we doing today, then?"

"Warm-ups, first. Stretches. Jumping jacks. Push-ups. Pull-ups. Crunches. Lunges. And then five laps around the room. Water break. Afterwards, we need to hone your warp-striking technique for an hour. Your chain attacks could use some work, too. I'm giving them half an hour. Then another water break, followed by an hour of javelin practice with Iggy. And then it's sparring with me. You're gonna use the battle axe this time. And no complaining about the weight of it this time. A prince must be strong _and_ versatile. Then a third water break. Afterwards, the last hour and a half can be used for whatever other practice you wanna work on. Then we're done. We can shower up afterwards and have brunch around 11pm."

Noctis made an unpleasant face at the long list of tasks he had to complete. Prompto just stared in awe. How could the human body handle so much working out and training?! Yeah, Prompto ran for fun, and for most people that was weird on its own, but he wasn't running _marathons_ or anything. And he certainly wasn't running or training for hours on end with little to no stops. Maybe alphas got tired less often and could handle more physical exertion.

"Got it…" Noctis watched Gladiolus grab a neatly folded towel from off the floor to dab his face and body with it. "Damn, Big Guy. How long have you been here already? You look like shit. I've never seen you this sweaty."

"Three hours and counting.", the shield responded gruffly, with the tiniest twinge of irritability in his deep voice. "Dad doubled my weapon practicing, remember? Been here since 2am."

Prompto frowned. "Dang… That sounds really strenuous… You okay?"

Gladio smiled and ruffled the smaller boy's hair. "Yeah, Prom. Just fine. Been doing this stuff since I was a kid."

Prompto smiled back at the man. "Mind if I watch?"

"Go for it, kid. Just be sure to stay out of the way. I don't want you getting any more injured than you already are."

And that's exactly what Prompto did. He was mildly irritated that everyone was treating him like some fragile thing, but he also realized that his injury was technically because of them and maybe they were feeling a little guilty, so he let it slide. He walked well out of the way of the alphas, sitting with his back against the wall and giving the men an excited smile.

Noctis set himself on doing his warm-ups and Gladio stood in front of him, giving pointers and directions as-needed. It seemed to go on forever, because Noctis kept trying to cheat on his push-ups and lunges. Then he was running his laps. Prompto restrained himself from getting up and jogging alongside him. It was tough. Noctis was incredibly winded afterwards. Prompto got the feeling that running was not on the list of things Noctis enjoyed.

A short water break, and then the warp-strike practice began.

"Ok, Noct. It's all about the arm. The throw. You gotta be able to throw that blade with all you've got. The longer the distance, the more power behind the strike. Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it." Noctis put his hand on the shoulder of his throwing arm, moving the arm around in circles and loosening it up thoroughly. Once he deemed his muscles ready, the prince materialized a blade out of thin air, in a shimmering glint of blue magic.

Prompto stared in amazement. "How the hell do you guys do that?!"

Noctis smirked. "They're linked to my Armiger. All the royal weapons are in there, passed down from old kings and queens of Lucius. Only the royal family can allow people to use it. Gladio and Iggy get their weapons from there, too. It's convenient."

"And _cool_!", the blonde added, leaning forward slightly as he gawked at the knowledge Noctis laid on him. "Magical weapons that just _appear_ I you will them to? That's the coolest thing I've ever seen in my life!"

Gladio laughed. "That's not even the coolest part. Just wait until you see him _use_ it. Don't blink!"

Prompto nodded enthusiastically and gave his full attention to the prince, trying his hardest not to blink, as instructed. Gladio's attention shifted back to his student.

"Ok, Noct. I want you to aim for that pillar over there." The man pointed to a pillar that stood a good distance away.

The prince nodded. "No problem." And he reeled his arm back, winding up the power for his throw, and swung forward with all his strength. Prompto watched in sheer amazement as the blade flew from his hand and landed deep into the marble of the pillar. Noct was gone less than a second after the sword left his fingers, gone in a spark of blue that trailed and followed the blade's path until he reappeared once more to grasp the sword's hilt and hang there, giving the freckled beta a smug look.

Prompto didn't have words for a good long while. He could only stare with his mouth hanging wide open. In one more smooth, swift movement, Noctis pulled his weapon from the pillar and threw it to the ground right where he had once stood by Gladiolus. Prompto watched again as the prince teleported in magic to the floor where the blade had landed.

"You can _TELEPORT?!_ " The blonde practically screamed out, completely amazed. All his friends could do was laugh at the dumb look on his face.

"Yup!" Noctis exclaimed, posture and tone full of pride. Perhaps a smidgeon of smug was laying beneath It all. Maybe a lot of fluffed up ego, too.

Gladiolus was quick to turn this little stunt show back into the training session it had started off. "Yeah, that's cool and all, but your form is way off. Your stance is too wide. Bring your legs in a little. And don't lean forward into the throw so much. That way, the blade will go a little higher off the ground. It's better to have a height advantage on you enemies, Noct. Also, I can tell you're avoiding hanging from the hilt. Next time, I want you to hang there longer."

"Got it." Noctis huffed.

Prompto just sat there and watched as Noctis continued to throw, warp, hang until Gladiolus said when, throw again, and then warp back. Gladiolus continued to give him pointers. This went on for a long while. Prompto never got tired of seeing it.

Then, the chaining practice stared. Gladiolus arranged a group of five dummies, all placed a good distance from one another, around the prince.

"I want you to throw your weapon into each one of them, in rapid succession. As soon as you warp to one, throw your sword and hit another. So on and so forth. Keep the momentum going."

"Yup."

Noctis did so. Each time he succeeded in hitting all the targets within Gladio's designated time frame, the shield would rearrange the dummies again to be farther apart and farther away. Prompto didn't see how Noctis could do it all. It made the blonde a little dizzy, watching the prince bounce back and forth between targets with no clear pattern.

When the time for another water break finally arrived, Prompto already had a cold one at the ready from a large water cooler in the corner. He stood up from his front-row seat and jogged over to the prince, handing him the bottle happily. Noctis looked a little tired. Although, not nearly as tired as he should have for what he went through. Prompto would have gave out from exhaustion forever ago.

Noctis took the bottle from the blonde and smiled. "Thanks, Prom."

"No problem."

Noctis guzzled down the entire bottle in less than a minute before the doors opened and Ignis walked into the room to join the trio. He was still dressed in semi-formal attire, much to Prompto's surprise.

"Do you ever dress like a normal person?" Prompto only half joked at the advisor, looking the man over.

Ignis still had the dress pants and nice shoes, but he had on a white button-up shirt on, with suspenders. No jacket today, he supposed. Prompto figured it would have gotten all hot and sweaty under a jacket, anyways. He walked towards them while fastening his gloves around his wrists. And adjusting his new glasses on his nose.

"One's appearances shouldn't be taken lightly, Prompto." Ignis said.

Gladio just smirked. "There's only one time I've seen Ignis _not_ looking composed, and that was when Noct was in the hospital. Cried for days, if I'm remembering correctly. Didn't even leave his side to shower or change clothes! Hair was a damn mess, too."

Ignis frowned and cut the shield a look that shut him up _real_ quick. Prompto looked between the three of them, confused. "Noctis was in the hospital?"

A long, awkward silence and then, "Um… We don't talk about that much… I'll tell you later, Prom. Let's just drop it for now."

Prompto saw the downcast, sullen expression on Noctis' face and how Ignis was shifting awkwardly on his feet and avoiding eye contact. He knew better than to press the subject. Noctis said he'd tell him later, and that was good enough for now. "okay, Noct. Sure. No problem."

Ignis cleared his throat. "Well, then. Shall we get to the javelin practice?"

"Yeah, sure."

The prince and his advisor went off to another section of the room, where an assortment of javelins hung on the wall, and Gladio nudged Prompto in the arm. "Mind if I sit with you and watch? I could use the break."

Prompto elbowed the large man in his arm right back. "Sure, big guy."

The javelin practice was insane. Prompto didn't know Ignis had all those fancy moves in him. And he _certainly_ didn't think the beta could have that much strength and agility. His eyes were transfixed on the two of them for most of the training as they went between striking dummies, to Ignis giving pointers, to the two of them sparring a bit, and then right back to fighting the dummies. Prompto also got to find out that Noctis could warp with those weapons, as well. It was all very interesting and amazing to see.

"So. What do you think of all of this?" Gladio took a sip from his water bottle and smirked down at the blonde.

Prompto looked up at him and was all smiles. "Are you _kidding_ me? I think this is the most amazing thing I've ever seen in my _life_!"

"Yeah?"

"Oh, absolutely."

"Think you'd be able to pull it off?"

Prompto thought about that for a bit. "No, I don't think so. I mean, I'm not unfit. I do my fair share of working out. But _this_? I don't know. I think it's a little over my head."

Gladio nodded and took another sip from his bottle. "Everyone has something they're good at, Prom. Hell, we didn't know Ignis would be so good with daggers until I went to steal a slice of cake before dinner one day! Man nearly landed one right into the middle of my hand from straight across the kitchen!" The shield bellowed out a hearty laugh at the memory. "Needless to say, I learned my lesson!"

Prompto chuckled. "Wow."

"Point is, Prom. Everyone has different talents. Won't know until you try. Hell, it might do you some good to be able to defend yourself on the streets." Gladio didn't realize how that came off until the words had already left his mouth, and he was quick to add, "Oh. I mean. Um. Not, like, the _streets_ , but- Oh, hell… Sorry, buddy..."

Prompto's smile faltered a bit. The reminder that he'd be back on the streets again soon definitely hurt Prompto a bit, but he was used to it. After all, it was his life. And honestly, Gladiolus was right. It would do him some good to learn a little something to protect himself. You know, in case anymore horny alphas tried to jump him in the forest.

"It's ok, big guy. No offense taken. Um. What did you have in mind?"

Gladio was glad he didn't hurt the boy's feelings as much as he probably could have. He mulled over the question for a while. "Noct says you have good aim from afar… Maybe daggers? Like Iggy?"

"Nah. I don't go so well with sharp things… I'm kinda clumsy at times. Don't wanna tri and land on one of those things, you know?"

"Yeah, I see your point…" He thought a little more, and then., "Hey. I got it. Meet me over there."

Gladiolus pointed to a section not too far away from where Noctis and Ignis were, and the two of them got up and walked there. They stopped to stand in front of a few "X"s on the floor, targets shaped like various beasts and people hanging on the wall a ways in front of them with little targets on various body parts, like heads and hearts and kneecaps.

Prompto took a wild guess at what weapon he'd be dealing with. "Archery?"

Gladio just smirked. "Nope. Hold out your hands."

The beta obliged and Gladio placed one large hand to hover a few inches above his own. After a shimmer of blue magic, Prompto felt something metal and heavy materialize into his hands. Gladio remover his hand and Prompto almost dropped the weapon, he was so shocked.

"A _gun_?!"

"Yup. It's perfect for you. Long range. You won't have to get up close and personal with anyone." The shield looked quite proud of himself for coming up with it, chest puffed out, with his hands on his hips.

If Prompto was honest, he'd say he was thrilled. The weight of the weapon in his hands was solid and _there_ , and it made his skin tingle a bit. It made him feel powerful, like he wasn't used to feeling. But he was scared, and hesitant. He'd never really hurt anyone before, besides Noctis. He was a very caring person. That's just how he was. And the thought of using the gun _on purpose_ to inflict damage and possibly even death onto someone was making a black hole of anxiety form in his chest.

"I- I don't know, Gladdy." This was all happening too fast, suddenly. Maybe. He didn't really know. But it was shocking to him how badly he wanted to _try_ it. To _shoot_ something. "What if I hurt someone? You know, like- someone I don't want to hurt?"

Gladio placed a hand on Prompto's shoulder and gripped it, trying to give the beta a reassuring look. "That's what you practice for, Prom. To get used to it. To get better. To make less mistakes." The boy still seemed hesitant as he shifted the gun in his hands, holding it properly. Or, at least, somewhat properly. "Look. How about this. You can practice with me every day. I'll watch you really carefully and make sure you don't mishandle it or shoot anyone. We'll stick to flat, non-moving targets. Does that sound good?"

Prompto thought it over a good bit longer. Noctis _had_ mentioned that previous night about wanting to make Prompto a retainer. And it would certainly make him feel a hell of a lot better, and less useless, to be able to actually attack and enemy and protect himself or Noctis, if need be.

"….Ok. Let's do it. Tell me how to shoot."

"Ok. Now. Stand directly on that X."

Prompto did so.

"You want your feet to be shoulder-width apart. Stand up straight. Lean forward a bit. Bend your knees a little. Awesome. Grip it with both of your hands, for now. Until you're able to do it one-handed. Now, carefully, hold the gun up to your target, but keep your finger outside of the trigger guard. You want to shoot with your dominant hand, and steady the gun with the other. Good, you're doing great. Align the front sight with the rear sight. Uh-huh. You got it, Prom. Focus on the target and where you want to penetrate it. The gun's already loaded. Probably should have told you that. Don't turn into a pussy on me, Prom. Control your breathing, or the bullet's gonna land completely off. You all set?"

Prompto's mind was reeling. His heart was pounding out of his chest. He was doing a pretty decent job of steadying himself and controlling his breathing, but it was becoming increasingly difficult the more he thought about what could go wrong. Still, he wanted to try.

"I think?"

Gladio nodded and stepped back a bit. "Shoot."

 _BANG!_

 _BANG!_

 _BANG!_

It took everything in Prompto not to squeeze his eyes shut and shoot blindly, with his nerves. The shots being so close to his ears didn't help either. He had aimed for the target shaped like a coeurl.

The shorts drew the attention of Noctis and Ignis and they ran over to see what was happening.

A sharp whistle sounded through the room, and then, "Damn, Prom! That's was pretty good for your first shots!"

"I'd say it's near perfection, actually."

"Fuck, Prom. Didn't know you had it in you!"

Prompto walked to the hanging target and awed at it, touching the holes left by the bullets. The area felt hot beneath his fingers. He shook a little. The boys were right, it _was_ damn near perfect. The three bullet holes only being maybe and inch or so off of the center of the target that was on the coeurl's heart.

Noctis came from behind him to get a closer look too, ruffling the beta's hair as he stepped beside him. "You're a natural, Prom!"

Prompto smiled a small smile and gave Noctis a sheepish look. "Really?"

"Of course! You'll make one _hell_ of a retainer!"

Prompto hear the ring of silence and could feel the mood in the room shift from happy, to confused, and… something else. Anger? Disappointment? Fear? Worry? Prompto wasn't sure. But Noctis felt it too, and both men turned to look at the retainers.

Ignis and Gladio traded pointed looks with one another before looking between the other two.

"Noctis… a word?" Ignis didn't wait for a response, he simply turned to walk out of the room, Gladio following in his footsteps.

Noctis let go of Prompto, reluctantly, and went to follow his retainers.

"Noct… is everything ok?"

Noctis looked into the round, slightly confused and worried eyes of his friend. Things weren't ok, probably. Ignis and Gladiolus were probably pissed. And with good reason, if he gave a minute's thought about it. But he didn't want to worry Prompto too much.

"Yeah, Prom. Just gonna talk about some stuff. Don't worry. Hey, go back to the room and take a shower and relax. Maybe take some more medicine for your head."

Prompto kept giving him that look.

"It's okay, I promise! I'll be up there after training and we'll eat brunch. Everything's cool, ok?"

Noctis disappeared behind large doors and Prompto couldn't make out the sound of the muffled voices behind it. He gathered Noctis' forgotten jacket and set the gun down on the floor, carefully. He didn't want to go back to the bedroom so soon after being able to walk somewhat freely around the castle, but he figured it was for the best. He could use a shower. He hoped Noctis wasn't in trouble.

With one last glance at the door, Prompto left out of another set of doors and made his way back to Noct's bedroom.


	10. Chapter 9

Noctis was in trouble. He was _absolutely_ in trouble.

He met his retainers out in the hall and as soon as the doors closed behind them all, Noctis was hit with a barrage of angered auras and scents. The prince was bracing himself for Ignis to be the mother figure, telling him off as he always did, but Noct was not-so-pleasantly surprised to see that Gladio was the first one to speak, holding up a stern hand when Ignis went to open his mouth.

"Noctis. What the _fuck_ did you tell that kid?"

Noctis was a little taken back. He locked eyes with the shield and it was all smoldering amber. Noctis thought he looked like a human volcano. Calm and collected as much as possible (which was barely) on the outside, but all hell ready to break loose on the inside. He could feel his alpha power, hot like lava, on his skin and it made him squirm.

" _Nothing,_ I just- "

"You just didn't _think_ , is what you did!" Gladio cut through his words with his own harsh tone, and even Ignis seemed shocked at the outburst. Gladio rarely ever blew up on anyone, but it was all coming out now. "You told that kid he could be a _retainer_?! For _what_?! So he could get injured? So he could get himself _killed_?!"

"Gods, _NO_ , I just- I wanted to- "

"What you _wanted_ , Noctis, is to put that poor boy in harms way on a daily basis! So that you can hang around him, and goof off all day, and throw your future out the _fucking_ window! _That's_ what you wanted, Noctis! And you're damn well on your way to it."

Noctis opened and closed his mouth a few times, unable to come up with words. He balled his hands into tight fists at the other alpha, and clenched his teeth together to prevent a snarl. Who the hell was Gladiolus to talk to his _prince_ that way?

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?!" It's all Noctis manages to say, because Gladiolus isn't done. Oh, no. Not by a long shot.

"Your twentieth birthday is in less than _three_ months. Are you ready to take the fucking throne?! What if King Regis were to just die? Keel over- right here right now? Would you be ready, Noctis?!"

Noctis didn't answer. He knew he wasn't ready. Not nearly ready. But he didn't want to give the shield the satisfaction of hearing him say it. He just looked away from Gladiolus, not wanting to meet his gaze and trying with all his might not to have a giant tantrum.

"Of course not! You've been studying and practicing since you were a damned _kid_ to take your father's place, and every chance you get to fucking prove yourself, you blow it off! Like the _child_ you are!"

Ignis shook his head and cleared his throat. "Gladiolus, maybe you should tone it down a bit, Noctis- "

" -Has been coddled by you for _far_ too long, Ignis!", the shield finished the advisor's sentence for him, and Ignis winced at the tone. "And I'll be _damned_ if I sit back and watch him drag that poor, sweet guy into his shit! So the both of you can coddle him and baby him! Until _what_?! Until we go on a hunt, and Prompto gets mauled by some behemoth?! Until the Empire decides to start a war, to go after Noctis, and then Prompto gets cut open?! Shot?! Beat down into a bloody pulp on the battle field?! The boy isn't _trained_ for that, Iggy! We've been training and practicing since we were children in order to face times like those, and Prompto just shot his first gun today!"

Noctis looked at his alpha friend and met the man's glare with one of his own, stormy and deep, and he could feel the anger rising in him. "He's not going to get hurt, okay?! I just wanted him to be able to _stay_! To not go back to that fucking _joke_ of a life he had before us!"

"This is all fun and games to you, isn't it, Noctis." It wasn't a question, so much as a statement. Gladiolus ran a shaky hand through his hair. "You think that since you're the _prince_ , you can have whatever you want. Like _everything_ will just be handed to you! You act like that boy is some kind of _property_! To be owned and kept by you! Like some stuffed animal! He's his own person, Noctis!"

Noctis straight up growls at his shield, nails digging deeply into the skin of his palms as he tried to hold back an agonizing punch right in Gladio's jaw. He knew Prompto wasn't his property. It would be stupid to think that way. He just wanted a way to keep him around, keep him close. Keep him out of the elements and glaring eyes of the people in Lestallum.

"Did you tell him what it would be _like_?! The vigorous training, the long days, the fucking oath he would have to make?! To give his life and _die_ for you, if that's how things go down?!"

No. Noctis had not told him that. He made it sound like some glorified bodyguard. Not a life oath.

Noctis realized that, then. Maybe Gladiolus was right. Maybe Prompto wouldn't be able to handle it all. Maybe he wouldn't want to commit his whole life to an alpha he met only two days ago. Maybe Noctis was treating him like something he could own. Maybe Noctis didn't think any of this through.

Ignis felt some of the realization hit the prince. Felt the tone shift from anger to sadness and regret. Gladio was still angry, but he had calmed down a bit from his outburst. He watched some of the tension leave Noctis' arms and his hands uncurl. He took the time to talk to the prince, trying to be as level and soothing as possible, but still firm. After all, he was on Gladiolus' side in this.

"Noctis… have you talked to your father about any of this?"

Noctis huffed and looked to his advisor. "Of course not… I only ever even discussed it with Prompto last night…"

"You need to talk to your father. See what he says on the matter. You may be a prince, and we may be your retainers, but no matter what you want, or who you want as your third retainer, your father has the final say. You know that."

Ignis, unfortunately, was right. Noctis was not looking forward to seeing his father so soon after his scolding. "I guess…"

"But first, you need to talk to Prompto. Let him know what he'd be getting himself into. Let him know what that would entail. And then make sure it's something he wants for himself, once and for all. Not just because you don't want him to leave."

"…Yeah…"

Gladio threw up his hands in frustration. " _Igni_ s. You're allowing this fucked up plan to go on?! Prompto doesn't _need_ any of this! He- "

" -Can make his own choices, just as you and I did, Gladiolus." Ignis finished the man's sentence and Gladiolus huffed in frustration when Ignis shot him a look that conveyed that the conversation was pointedly over.

The shield muttered a "Whatever… His funeral…" before shoving the doors to the training grounds open and bursting through them. Before the doors shut again, the two men could hear, "This doesn't mean training is over. Get your ass in here and pick up this axe."

The last few hours of training were rough, after that. Ignis had to break up quite a few no-so-practice-like fights.

 **…**

Prompto let his clothes pool at the floor around his feet as he undressed and then stepped into the tub. The water was practically scalding, but to Prompto, it was just the right temperature. He sank down to the neck, enjoying the way his muscles instantly relaxed beneath the bubbly water. Noctis' tub felt like heaven, with the calming scent of bubble bath and the steady sound of the jets against his skin.

He surveyed the assortment of shampoos before choosing one at random and pouring the liquid into his hands and lathering his hair.

"I hope Noctis is okay… Ignis and Gladio looked so… I don't know… against the idea?" Prompto talked to himself quietly, but his voice still echoed off the walls and back into his own ears. He wasn't really surprised with the way things changed after Noctis had let it slip that they were making plans on Prompto to become a retainer. After all, it was a very quick decision that neither of them put much thought into. Prompto almost felt guilty by it all.

"Maybe if I didn't pressure Noct into trying to find a way for me to stay…" He knew he didn't really pressure the prince. It was just a wishful comment that he let slide that night. It was Noctis' idea in the end. And, let's face it, Prompto was down for anything that meant he could stay in the castle.

But was it only for the life of luxury? No. At least Prompto liked to believe it wasn't. He liked Noctis. And he liked Ignis and Gladiolus, too. He liked the feeling of being accepted. The men didn't care about where he came from or his past. They liked him for him, joked with him, took care of him, even. Maybe Prompto was getting ahead of himself, but it felt like they were all friends. It felt like they could all get along fine together. It seemed like a lovely dream.

Prompto rinsed his hair out and put some conditioner in next.

"Some dream. All I'm doing is getting Noct in trouble…" He sighed and sat in silence after that, for a good long while, just thinking over the events of the past few days up until his bath. Then he rinsed his hair a final time and drained the water from the bath.

He grabbed one of the plush towels out of the towel hutch and inwardly marveled for a moment at how plush and soft and absorbent they were. Then he wrapped one loosely around his waist and gathered his clothes back up to put back on later. He wished he brought another set of clothes. But, hey, who knew he was going to be kidnapped?

After getting dressed, Prompto tried to preoccupy himself while Noctis finished his training by turning on the flat screen tv and surfing through the various channels the palace had. And, damn, they must have had over a thousand. He finally settled on some soap opera about two omegas in a love triangle with one another and also an alpha. It was funny and gripping at the same time. It was right in the middle of the season, and the plot wasn't making much sense, but Prompto could care less. It was something to watch.

A love scene started and Prompto flushed deeply. The naughty bits of body parts were always out of view of the camera, because hey, public television, but the moans and the implied gyrating and grinding were still there, along with the open-mouthed kissing and whispered words of love and affection. Prompto curled into himself on the couch and watched with an unwavering stare.

"Damn, this scene is intense…" Prompto's heart beat wildly in his chest and he could feel the embarrassment and arousal flush his face. He could feel his dick twitching and hardening slightly inside his pants. "Gods, how much of a virgin am I?" He judged himself for getting so worked up so quickly over something as stupid as a soap opera love scene. He looked at Noct's bedroom door, as if he expected the prince to bolt inside at any moment, and of course a minute went by and nothing happened. Prompto gulped thickly and began to reach a hand down between his legs.

"AH-!"

His hand didn't get very far. Out of nowhere, his abdomen cramped. Badly. Painful enough that Prompto fell to his side, clutching his stomach in pain and crying out. A surge of white-hot heat surged through him. Just for a moment, But before Prompto could even process what was happening or what could be wrong with him, the pain was gone. Leaving just as quickly as it came.

"Prompto..?"

Noctis entered the room. He was sweaty, his bangs were matted to his face, and he looked very tired and very frustrated. He looked to his friend, who was curled up on the couch, a love scene playing kind of loudly on the tv.

How the hell were they still going at it?

Noctis stopped walking and flushed a little, looking away. "Oh. Am I interrupting something?"

Prompto flushed. Badly. And moved to quickly sit up straight and with his hands in his lap, _pointedly_ away from his crotch region, momentarily forgetting the strange cramp. After all, he _was_ going to try and play with himself moments ago. He was probably lucky for the cramp. It would have saved him from a _very_ different scene for the prince to walk in on.

"No, dude. Nothing! I was asleep, actually. Til just now. I swear."

Noctis shot him a playfully skeptical look. " _Suuuuree_ …. Uh-huh. I totally believe you."

Prompto turned redder, if possible. ' _Stupid Noctis_.'

A beat of silence, and then, "You hungry? Iggy's got brunch cooking. Figured I'd take a bath and then we'd go eat. Is that cool?"

"Yeah", the blonde replied, and he watched his friend disappear into the bathroom. The love scene was still going on. The blonde went for the remote and turned the tv off.

…

Prompto figured he'd be taken to some grand dining hall with fancy silverware and long tables, but he was pleasantly surprised to be taken to Ignis' room instead. And the rooms, as it turned out, weren't rooms so much as they were apartments.

Ignis' place was nice. Clean. Organized. Almost looked like no one lived there, except for the many cookbooks along shelves and the slight clutter of paperwork and mail in one corner of the kitchen counter. The smell of coffee filled the room, mixed with Ignis' scent of cinnamon and vanilla, and Prompto felt very at home. If Noctis' smell made Prompto feel sleepy, Ignis' smell made him feel so… _at home_. It was a welcoming and reassuring and it made Prompto's soul smile.

"Do excuse the mess. I haven't tidied up in a while." Ignis commented as he let the two of them inside and retreated into the kitchen to continue cooking.

Prompto scoffed. "Your place is anything but messy. It's way cleaner than what I'm used to, that's for sure!"

Ignis smiled and Noctis looked around the room, noticing one of their party members were missing. "Where's Gladio?"

The advisor hesitated for a moment. "He… isn't hungry."

"Mmm..." Noctis just grumbled and shrugged. He figured the man wouldn't want to see him for a while. Not so soon after their argument, anyways.

"Although, he wanted me to let Prompto know that he's welcome to train with us any time he pleases. He says you were quite good." The advisor gave Prompto a fond look and it made the boy smile.

"Thanks. That sounds good."

Brunch was served on the balcony adjoining the living area, the warmth of the sun and the breeze on their skin. Everyone took their seat at a patio table with an overhead umbrella and Ignis set plate of food in front of them. Ham sandwiches on toasted honey wheat with lettuce and tomatoes, diced fruits in a bowl on the side, and a light side salad. Water or coffee were the drink selections. It was very simple and light and healthy, and just so _Ignis_.

Prompto dug right in. It was delicious. Nothing was left on his place afterwards. Noctis ate it a little slowly, making a big show if picking the tomatoes out of his sandwich and pushing the salad aside completely. Too many vegetables, for his tastes. The fruit bowl was mostly all eaten in no time, though. Ignis ate gracefully and of coursed finished it all, even the salad Noctis left behind, after some bickering. It wasn't long before the plates were cleared, and everyone was lounging in the living area.

"Man, Iggy. Brunch was great!" Prompto beamed and patted his stomach.

"Glad to hear it. I'm also glad to see that you aren't a picky eater like Noctis." The prince scoffed. Prompto was going to comment on how he kinda couldn't _afford_ to be a picky eater, but he didn't want to change the mood and make them feel sorry for him again.

The three of them sat in a comfortable silence, watching the news for a bit. Of course, the silence couldn't go on for long. There were things that needed to be discussed.

"Prompto, Noctis wants you to become a retainer, correct?"

Noctis tensed a little from his spot beside Prompto and the blonde didn't miss it. "Um. Yeah, Iggy. He does."

"Did Noctis tell you what that would entail...?"

Prompto thought on it for a bit. "Not really. I mean. I kinda understand they have to be able to fight?"

"Precisely. But it's also a lot more than that, Prompto. A lot deeper." The blonde was silent as he waited to hear more. Noctis just looked like he wanted the conversation to end already. "Gladio and Noctis got into a heated argument earlier. We all care for your safety very much and we don't want to see you get yourself wrapped up in something you aren't absolutely mentally and physically prepared for."

"Makes sense.", the blonde supplied. "So… What would I be preparing myself for?"

Ignis took a deep breath and took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Well, to put it simply, being a retainer isn't all fun and games. We work long hours and the job can be stressful. We have to be able to push all feelings aside in order to make the best decisions for Noctis, despite how we feel about them. We have to do what's best for Insomnia and The Crown. It wouldn't be a fun and games. And we can't just let Noctis do as he pleases."

Noctis mumbled something that sounded like " _That's for damned sure_ …", but Prompto stayed silent, nodding as he listened.

"So yes, we are his friends. And we are the closest people to him. But we are also his guides. His shields. His advisors. But, most importantly, and this is the part I worry about…" Ignis looked deep into Prompto's eyes and he was lost in emerald green and worry and concern and he spoke next. "…Above all else, you must be willing to protect Noctis with everything you have. You'd have to be willing to die for him, if need be."

Prompto's eyed widened slightly as he took it all in. "Oh… Wow… I never really thought about it like that…"

Noctis frowned and looked out the window. He could feel the regret and rejection coming. Of course Prompto wouldn't want to agree to all of that. It was too much to ask.

"But, I accept."

Noctis' head snapped back to Prompto, eyes wide and mouth agape. Ignis sat up straighter, giving Prompto a look, and trying to process what the beta had just said. "Are you sure?" He asked slowly.

Prompto smiled a little and nodded. "Yeah, of course. Noct is pretty cool, and I like being around him. I like you and Gladdy, too. I feel good when I'm around you guys. I feel- and don't make fun of me- but… I feel at _home_. And I know that sounds dumb. But it's _true_. I just have this feeling that this is what I was born to do. What I'm _supposed_ to do… When I think about the many ways I could end up dying in my lifetime, I can't help but think that if I'm going to die, then doing it for Noctis wouldn't be so bad. Is that… bad?"

Ignis let out a long breath, and he was still giving Prompto a look, trying to figure him out, or detect and hint of hesitation, but he smiled a little and nodded. "Ok. Then Gladiolus and I will help you."

Noctis and Prompto's eyes met and Noctis looked so pleased and happy it made Prompto's stomach flop around a bit.

"I still have to ask my dad, though. It won't be set in stone without his approval."

"Okay."

"I'll ask him tomorrow."

"Cool."

The three shared smiled and reassuring scents and suddenly everything was looking a little brighter.


	11. Chapter 10

_Ambushed, circled by foes. He holds his prince close and fights with everything he has. Blood. So much blood. Another day. Another time. Hot, unbearable heat consumes him. He crumbles to the floor before his foe, but he will not bow. A shimmer of blue. He pulls out his gun. He points it at the man, and-_

"…Something wrong, My Lady?"

Lunafreya heard the voice through the muddled thoughts in her own head, but only just slightly.

The visions were coming more frequently than they used to, and lately they've seen to be connected. Centering around one person in particular. Clips and snippets of his life playing in a random fashion.

Lunafreya looked up from her long-forgotten music book, where the notes had blurred together into one big mess as her eyes had unfocused on the real world. Her fingers stopped along the firm chords of her harp, the music silenced long ago without Luna even realizing. How long had she been lost in herself, in the life of another? How long ago had she stopped playing?

"I'm sorry… What did you say, Gentiana?" Luna looked to the woman who was standing a few feet away.

Gentiana has been Lunafreya's personal handmaid since she was a small child, perhaps even when she was a baby. Surely, as long as the princess could ever remember. The woman was tall and elegant-looking. With straight, jet-black hair that fell to her lower back in long, silky strands and bangs that cut straight across her forehead, right above the arch of her thin eyebrows. Gentiana's eyes were closed, like always, thick lashes falling over pale cheeks.

The woman was born blind, but that never seemed to stop her from doing anything. She walked and moved and functioned just like anyone else could, and it was a marvel to watch. Many who did not know her would have thought her vision to be perfect. Some say Gentiana, though lacking in normal sight, had been given vision from the Gods. Lunafreya wasn't so sure about that, but her family had always been serving The Oracle for generations, so surely there was some tie to the Astrals. It wasn't impossible.

"Have my music lessons really grown so boring?" Gentiana teased, her deep red lips curling up into a small, teasing smile. She stood straight, hands folded together at her front, wearing a black, kimono-styled dress that fell to her sandaled feet.

Luna shook her head. "No, of course not. I love playing the harp. I've just… had a lot on my mind, I suppose…"

"Thinking about Prince Noctis?"

Luna blushed. "How could you tell?" She laughed, and hoped it came out genuine. Noctis was in her visions occasionally, yes. And she cherished what she saw of him. But he was far from the object of her thoughts, coming only second to the blonde stranger that filled her mind with his smile. The smile he gave to his friends, his prince. His sky-blue eyes that were windows to the soul, displaying every emotion honestly and earnestly, despite himself. Freckles dancing along sun-kissed skin. He was everywhere and nowhere all at once. She knew little about him, other than what he looked like.

"You've been spacing out a lot without realizing it, lately." Gentiana's voice carried like the wind and sounded almost like music itself.

Luna sighed and stood up from her chair in front of her instrument, choosing to pace back and forth around her room instead. It was frustrating. Every time she saw the boy, he was with Noctis. Sitting. Eating. Sleeping. Hugging. Playing. Fighting. Living. All with the prince she had been promised to. Luna had never been one for jealousy, and she wasn't about to start now. But, she had to admit, it did sting a little, to see her prince so happy with the boy.

"Gentiana… Why do you think The Six chose me to be the Oracle?" She asked suddenly.

Gentiana's smiled faded a little as she replied, "The Astrals themselves only know, My Lady… Do you wish you weren't?"

"Of course not. I don't regret it." It was the truth. Luna enjoyed being able to heal the sick and bring peace to her people. It gave her a happiness that meant more to her than anything else she could ever imagine herself doing. "But… Sometimes… I wish I wouldn't receive these visions."

The more she peered into the boy's future, the more she saw something there. Something blossoming. Something she soon came to realize that she could never have. She saw that, even though it was conspired that Noctis would be her mate, he did not belong to her. He would never see her the way he would grow to see that boy. The way he would grow to love him.

"Are your visions sad?"

Luna felt the beginnings of tear welling up in the corners of her eyes at Gentiana's words, and she closed them. She had her chance, the only chance she would have, her last chance. She knew since long before what would befall Noctis at that party. Had followed him into that bathroom with the intent to enrapture him. To have him look at her with lust and affection and want. To take her in his arms and make her his forever. Before Noctis would meet the only person who would take him away from her. Before Noctis could fall in love.

"Sometimes.", she admitted quietly.

A knock sounded throughout the room and the doors to the music room opened without an answer, Ravus stepping inside. Gentiana stepped back, out of his way with ease as he walked right past her to stop near his sister. Their conversation would have to be continued later.

The older man looked her over Lunafreya briefly before sneering. "You look a mess. Are you not sleeping well?"

Luna held back her frown the best she could. If Ravus was anything, it was incredibly perceptive. And his gaze was always on her, looking for any fault or flaw he could mention and exploit to benefit him or make himself look better. He had always been jealous that The Six chose her and not himself. He hated all the attention she got, even though he was the first-born.

Putting on an indifferent face, she replied, "I regret to say I _haven't_ slept well, no."

"All because of that damned _Noctis_ , no doubt…" Ravus rolled his eyes and looked around the quaint little room, with sunlight flooding in though open windows and the sea breeze rolling in, soft chairs and shelves of sheet music for various instruments. "I do apologize for interrupting your lessons, but I come with good news, that's sure to ease your worries."

Luna eyes him suspiciously as he reached inside of his long white coat to retrieve a large black envelope, with a silver seal bearing the Insomnia crest. He handed it to her and she opened it, pulling out a thick letter with fancy deep blue calligraphy.

Gentiana tilted her head towards the sound of their voices. "What is it, My Lady? What did Ravus bring?"

"An invitation", Ravus supplied for his sister. "Seems the runaway prince wants to atone for his mishaps and host a party in Lunafreya's honor. A _grand_ celebration, I assume. No doubt to save face to the public."

"I don't care what it's for, and I hold no ill feelings towards Noctis for leaving so suddenly. He's about to be family soon. Whether or not you like him, Ravus, I suggest you get used to him." Luna stared into her brother's mix-matched eyes and she smiled. "I'm sure you'll grow to love him just as much as I do." They both knew he wouldn't. It's what gave her so much pleasure to say.

Ravus grimaced at his sister and rolled his eyes. " _Oh, I'm sure_..." He turned to leave the women alone again. "I will not be accompanying you to this party, I'm afraid, Lunafreya. I have some prior obligations to see to during that time. But rest assured, you will be in good hands. I've assigned Ardyn to escort you."

"The chancellor?" Luna was a very polite person, but even _she_ could not fully hide the disgust in her voice at the utterance of Ardyn's name. The man was a snake.

Ravus smiled. "The one and only. Do have a marvelous time, sister." He left without another word. He didn't trust Noctis, didn't respect him, never liked that old fool Regis, didn't like the thought of a Caelum's soul bonding with Luna. Noctis was unworthy of their lineage. Unworthy of Ravus' allegiance. And he would personally see to it that things go horribly wrong at this event, in some form or another. Perhaps, if he could start something big enough, the whole engagement would be called off…

 **…**

"Astrals… I can't believe how good Prompto's gotten with that gun since I first taught him how to shoot…" Gladiolus stood with his back against the wall and his hands crossed over his chest, staring at the beta unwaveringly, watching every move. He watched Prompto move swiftly through the crowd of moving targets, jumping over some and sliding between the legs of others, a barrage of bullets in his wake. Every shot he took landed inside of a target, if not directly spot-on in its center.

Ignis hummed his agreeance, sitting on the floor next to the alpha and watching Prompto practice as well. "I'd say he has the hang of it pretty well. He hasn't accidentally shot any of us, anyways."

"This is the final stage of his training, Iggy. Normally it would take _twice_ as long, if not more, to master a gun like that, especially when dealing with moving targets. Hell, Noctis didn't have it mastered until about a _month_! It's only been three days."

"He is something else..."

The retainers watched as Prompto placed a bullet into the head of the last moving target from behind and slowly lower his gun, shaking and panting heavily. There had been around one hundred targets and he had offed every one of them in record timing. His weapon shimmered out of sight from within his hand and an ecstatic Noctis immediately ran over, giving the beta a bear hug that almost made him fall to the floor.

Gladio watched the two of them laugh and hug. He grimaced, slightly, when he and Noctis' eyes happened to meet for a second. "I guess he's finally ready to apply to be Noctis' retainer…"

Gladiolus and his prince had not talked much since their yelling match in the hall a few days ago. Gladiolus wasn't changing his opinion on the matter and Noctis had too much pride to admit he was an idiot and that Gladio had been right. Their friendship was rocky at the moment, to say the least, only talking to each other when it was necessary.

"You're giving him your seal of approval?" Ignis asked, almost incredulously, at the statement.

"Yeah… Kid's earned it, after all. As much as I don't want him to get hurt, I can't just deny him his certification... It wouldn't be fair."

Ignis gave his friend a small smile and stood up, brushing off his pants. "Try not to dwell on it too much, Gladio. The boy means well. He just wants to belong. If you ask me, I think he's the perfect fit to our little pack. He's quite charismatic. Anyone able to wake Noctis up in less than an hour is good in my book. Now, if only Prompto could make him eat his vegetables…"

Gladio grunted. "Don't give me that bullshit, Iggy. I know damned well you can see the storm brewing over there, just as well as I can." He motioned his head in the direction of Noctis and Prompto, who were wrestling playfully after Prompto started to give Noctis a noogie. "Prompto hasn't slept in his own room since he got here. If you ask me, they're a little _too_ close. Noctis hasn't said so much as one word about Luna since the boy woke up with stitches. What are you going to do when this turns into something more?"

Ignis frowned, thinking on the topic for a long while and watching a tickle fight ensue next. "We shut it down, naturally.", came the grim response, "Remind Noctis of his duties and his obligations to his nation. To his people."

"You really think he's gonna listen to that shit? Our prince is stubborn as hell."

"Yes, I agree…. It will be tough… Very tough…" Noctis called their play fight a draw and the two boys began running towards the retainers. "Well, Lady Lunafreya will be here the day after tomorrow for the party. With any luck, her presence will bring Noct's head out of the clouds and back down to Earth."

The subject was dropped once the boys reached them, all laughs and smiles. Prompto practically bounced in place, looking up to Ignis and Gladiolus excitedly. "Did you see that?! Did you see me?! I must have set a new _record_ or something!"

Gladio chuckled and placed a firm hand on the beta's freckled shoulder. "You did good, kid. _Damned_ good. Guess I have no choice but to deem you certified, huh?" He gave Prompto a wink, which was returned along with a toothy grin.

"Prom, you were _amazing_! My dad's gonna approve of you for sure!"

"Speaking of, exactly _when_ do you plan on asking King Regis about this, Noctis?", Ignis questioned the prince.

Noctis shifted a little where he stood and went to scratch the back of his neck. "Um… First thing tomorrow morning? I'm going to bring Prompto. Let him meet him for himself... I want to be able to announce Prom as my retainer by the time of the party."

Prompto swallowed and almost choked on his own saliva. "What?! I'm going to meet the _king_?! _Tomorrow_?!" He stared wide-eyed at his friend, shocked to say the least. The King clearly lived in the same castle that he was residing in, but so far, their paths had not coincided. Prompto thought that it was 99% thanks to Noctis, who had been avoiding his father like he plague. The thought of seeing the King so soon was enough to hive him a heart attack.

"Yeah, Prom. Kinda _have_ to, if you wanna do this. You'll be seeing a lot more of him after today." Noctis only chuckled at his friend's distress.

Prompto clutched his stomach. "I think I'm gonna vomit.", he offered weakly. His stomach felt like it was churning inside of him. He willed down the urge to crumple to the floor when a particularly strong cramp ripped through his gut, sending a bolt of pain through his body and making his breathing slightly labored. "No. Scratch that. I think I'm gonna die. I'm not feeling too good…"

"Woah. Prom, you okay?" Noctis furrowed his brows and shared a look with his retainers.

Ignis placed a comforting hand on the blonde's back. "Are you feeling okay, Prompto…?"

"Don't barf on Iggy's shoes." Gladio joked, but his concern was evident.

"Um. I don't know? I've been getting cramps the last few days kinda randomly…" Another surge of pain, and Prompto screwed his eyes shut tightly. Sweat was beginning to form on his brow. "Maybe I've been training too hard. Or maybe my stomach's not used to all the amazing food I've been eating."

Noctis frowned and helped his friend to stand up, placing Prompto's arm around his neck for support. "Let's get you back to my room, Prom. We'll get you some pain medicine."

Prompto nodded. "Yeah."

The two boys left, and Ignis and Gladio were alone again.

"The kid is so fragile, Iggy…" Gladio sighed and scratched his head, letting his fingers tangle in his hair as he moved the strands out of his face. "He's been overworking himself trying to meet the standards to stay here…"

Ignis looked like he was deep in thought for a moment. "Perhaps his nerves are getting the best of him."

"Promise me you'll help me protect him, Iggy. I like the kid. I don't want to see him get hurt."

"Agreed."


	12. Chapter 11

By the time they were back in Noctis' bedroom, Prompto was back to normal, like nothing had happened. Noctis was still concerned, but Prompto brushed it off the best he could. This had been happening on and off to him for a while at this point, and he was pretty much used to it. Prompto had always been the sort to absolutely avoid the doctors at all cost. Mainly _because_ of the cost. But also because he felt like he was fine on his own. Like he could take care of himself. Which, honestly, is pretty much what he's been doing his whole life. So, this was okay. ' _I can get through this._ ', he thought.

"Um. Want me to run you a bath or something?" Noctis shifted around awkwardly, clearly unsure of what to do in situations like this. He'd never had to take care of anyone who was in pain or sick before. Usually, Ignis was good at that. And usually, it was Noctis who needed caring for. Yes, Prompto had insisted he was fine, but was he really? Noct wasn't so sure. Cramps like that couldn't be normal. He was sure a nice hot bath would sooth them.

Prompto laughed and made his way to the bathroom, walking past his friend who was still looking at him awkwardly with his hands in his pockets. "Dude. I said I'm _fine_. And my arms and legs work just fine, too. I can fill my own bathtub with my own water _just_ fine." He made quick work of taking off his jacket and his tank top, throwing them to the floor in one quick swoop. He started unbuckling his pants next. "Are you sure _you're_ okay, Noct? You're acting kind of weird."

Prompto looked to his friend, who was looking up and down the blonde's body slowly, seemingly taking in every detail. Prompto flushed and turned his head away, sheepishly staring at the floor and worrying his lip. What was that look about? It reminded Prompto a little of when they first met, and he suppressed a shiver at the thought. This wasn't the first time Noctis had looked at him that way. Recently, it seemed like whenever the boys were changing, there was a strange aura in the room. Some shift in feeling that niether of them made a point to bring up.

Noctis, on the other and, wasn't fully aware that he was even staring. That he had _been_ staring, for days now. All he noticed were tanned shoulders that were slightly less broad than his own. Smooth, unmarred sin from a lack of being engaged in actual battles. A smattering of freckles covering Prompto that made Noctis want to count every one. Those damned pink nipples. Prominent collarbones. The light, almost nonexistent blonde happy trail that began just below Prompto's navel to travel down, between delectable-looking hipbones, to disappear beneath his clothes. His bright blue eyes that met his own, and-

Fuck. He was staring. Prompto had seen him staring.

Noctis blushed violently after Prompto broke the eye contact and looked away. How long had Noctis been staring? What had he looked like while he was doing it? He hoped his friend wasn't super creeped out. If he was, Noctis wouldn't blame him. ' _What the hell's gotten into me?_ ', Noctis thought, scratching the back of his head and turning away so Prompto had his privacy to undress the rest of the way. He could hear Prompto's pants fall to the floor and the bathroom door open.

"Um... I'll take my bath now." Prompto's voice called from behind.

"Cool." Noctis mentally kicked himself for his response. _Cool_? What the hell was that? Only the most awkward and dumb thing his mind could have come up with to say, that's what. To follow up on it and make it less awkward, he added, "Uh, so. I have to do some boring Prince stuff with Iggy… Afterwards, you wanna play some video games or something? Or a movie? Your pick. We could get a pizza for dinner. Iggy's pizzas are the best."

He could hear Prompto laugh. "Yeah, that'd be awesome. I'm down."

"Cool" He mentally kicked himself again as the doors to the bathroom shut. Why was he saying so much dumb shit? Was "cool" the only word in his vocabulary suddenly? "Uh. I'm gonna go ahead and go now. I'll see you later." He didn't wait for a response as he bolted out of the room and down the hall.

…

Prompto heard Noctis leave the bedroom and sighed, heavily, fully allowing himself to relax in the scalding hot water. He eyed himself in the reflection of the mirror that wasn't too far away, and wished he could say the rosy color tinting his cheeks was because of the water's temperature alone. How did he get to this point? To where every look of the prince's seemed to linger a second too long before their gaze broke? To where every touch from a playful fight or friendly hug lingered a little too long before they broke apart? To where sleep was hard to come by unless he was enveloped in the prince's calming alpha scent?

Prompto began washing himself vigorously, as if to clean off the very idea that all of that was happening. It was ludicrous, surely. There was no way the prince had those kinds of thoughts towards him, right? They were friends. Just friends. "And that's where we're gonna stay. Yup. Best friends. Just guys bein' guys. Two bros chilling and sleeping together in the same bed, with _no_ mutual feelings." He jumped and inwardly kicked himself. _Mutual_? Was that even a _thing_? Did he even have _feelings_ towards Noctis?

Sure, they had gotten along just well ever since meeting. Hell, he couldn't honestly even say that _first_ night with the prince had been awful. It had been entertaining, and kind of hilarious, actually. Definitely better than anything else he would have been doing for the night, like feeding the chocobos or cleaning the stables or doing inventory. And, yeah, they shared a similar sense of humor and they fit together quite easily. They ate off each other's plates during meals when Noctis needed someone to take care of his veggies. Hell, they've even been sharing the same bed for _days_ , without so much as questioning if it was weird or unnatural, how easy it was to fall asleep next to each other and wake up the next morning, sometimes closer together than they had started.

But wasn't that stuff just normal? Sometimes friendships just fall into place like that, right? Prompto rinsed himself off in the tub and stood up, placing a towel around his waist, and studying himself in the mirror.

What had Noctis even been staring at, anyways? Prompto couldn't even begin to imagine. He had picked up a few extra pounds of weight since his arrival at the castle, but he was still painfully aware of how he could clearly see the outline of each rib. He noted every ugly freckle, every tan line. His limbs had picked up some extra muscle since training with the three men daily, but Prompto still had noodle arms and chicken legs, in his opinion. Maybe he was being too hard on himself about his appearance, but he didn't really care. He needed some excuse to make himself seem less desirable to the prince. Tried to exaggerate every flaw in his mind, to try and convince himself. Surely, the prince wasn't interested in any of what he saw.

With a small huff, he finished drying off and padded back into the bedroom to put on a clean outfit, borrowed from Noctis; washed-out jeans and a grey t-shirt with an adorable-looking illustration of a baby chocobo. He smiled at the image. ' _Hard to imagine Noct owns this… Ignis probably had it brought in for me._ '

The beta sighed. "Well, Prom… you have yet another _whooole_ day to blow again… What to do?" Prompto asked himself as he looked around the now-familiar space. Being left alone while Noctis did his own thing was something he grew to accept as inevitable, and things to catch his attention were scarce now. Television was an idea, but there were too many channels with too many shows that were in the middle of elaborate plots and seasons. There were video games, but Noctis was usually the one to start them, so Prompto didn't know how to begin one by himself. The view was beautiful, but seeing the same sight every day definitely made Insomnia lose some of it's wanderlust. So, what to do?

His gaze fell over the large bed, and suddenly he became incredibly antsy. He shifted on his feet, scratching at his arm as he felt like his very skin was crawling. He had an overwhelming urge to lay on it. Why, he couldn't decipher. He wasn't feeling sleepy, not in the slightest. Quite the opposite, actually But the longer he stared at the bed, the more his skin tingled and goosebumps rose on the flesh. Giving in, he crawled onto the large mattress. He centered himself in the very center, and frowned slightly when the sensation didn't subside. The normally comfortable surface wasn't doing it for him this time. "I need _more_. I need… _something_." Prompto muttered to himself thoughtfully, and he looked around the bed until his eyes spotted the mound of pillows at the headboard. "Ah. Perfect." He reached for the pillows, gathering them in his arms and laying them all around himself in a circle. Once completed, he sat in its center.

"Nope. Wrong." He furrowed his brow in frustration. _Why_ was it so wrong, though? It was just a bed. The comfiest bed he'd ever slept on, in fact. So why was in not meeting his expectations? Prompto could feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and he hopped off to look at his work. ' _Nope. This isn't gonna do. This sucks. This isn't good enough.'_ Without a second thought, he stripped the bed entirely, leaving only the sheet that covered the mattress. The beta went to work tirelessly, for what seemed to be hours, arranging pillows and blankets, even grabbing some couch cushions and adding them to the mix, until finally he had constructed the most ultimate of pillow forts atop Noctis' bed.

Prompto stepped back to look at the fruits of his labor, a big smile spread across his face. "Finally. After _hours_ , it's finally perfect." The unsettling feeling beneath his skin calmed and he could breath in a breath of contentedness. "Noct's gonna _flip_ when he sees this." He beamed confidently and went to crawl inside the entrance to his fort, under a flap of blanket that would keep the inside secluded.

It was mostly dark inside, with only a little light filtering in through the thin fabric of the sheets and blankets that covered the pillows on all sides of him. But it was comfortable. Roomy. He felt so safe, and best of all, it smelt thoroughly of Noctis. Prompto smiled, nuzzled his face into the mattress, curled into a ball, and peacefully drifted off for a few hours, pointedly not asking himself why suddenly getting the urge to build a pillow fort was kind of strange. If he had, the beta probably would have chalked it up to not ever experiencing a pillow fort before. Yes, he would be sure that was the reason.

…

Noctis trudged tiredly out of the royal library, eyes bleary and unfocused as he rubbed the sleep from them. The back of his head also sported a light pain. Ignis was following a short distance behind him, looking thoroughly unapologetic. "Maybe next time, you won't fall asleep during your history lessons. The smack to the back of the alpha's head from earlier would hopefully serve as a reminder, the beta hoped, but the man knew better.

Ignis eyed the prince warily as Noctis' pace started to pick up. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?", he called.

Noctis turned around and flashed the man a smile. "To Prompto. We're gonna play some video games tonight. Mind making us a pizza and having it sent up, Iggy?"

The advisor gave Noctis a curious look. "Hoping to dine alone tonight? I see that Gladiolus and I were not invited."

Noctis shrugged. "I know you don't care for video games and all, and Gladio… well…" His words trailed off to nothing and he stared at the floor, kicking at the carpet. "Well… You know…", Noctis finished quieter than he had started out, frowning.

Ignis sighed. "Noctis. You two can't keep ignoring each other forever. Eventually, you're going to have to make amends."

Noctis nodded reluctantly and mumbled an, "I _guess_ …", before turning around and continuing his brisk walk towards his bedroom. "Thanks in advance for the pizza, Iggy."

The advisor huffed in pretend annoyance, calling out, "I never agreed to make you a pizza, Noct." The prince was gone, leaving Ignis to stare at his back as it became smaller and smaller in the distance. It was a lie. Of course he'd make the pizza.

 **...**

Noctis turned a corner to walk down the hall that would lead to his and his retainers' bedrooms, and halted dead in his tracks.

Gladio was waiting for him, right next to his bedroom door, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and looking down at the floor in a hard concentration. Like he was counting every thread in the dark carpet beneath their feet. It was obvious the other alpha had something on his mind. When Gladio scented his prince near him, the larger man turned his head to look Noctis in the face with a hard, determined stare. ' _Wonder what he wants._ ', Noctis thought warily before taking a deep breath and continuing his walk down the hallway, offering an awkward, "...Hey..."

"...Hey." Came the gruff reply. Gladio turned to fully face his prince, unwinding his arms from over his chest, to bring them to his sides, fists forming tight balls. The man was clearly tense. Had probably been waiting for Noctis for some time, now. An uncomfortable silence filled the space between them. Gladio opened his mouth to say something, but it was Noctis who spoke first.

"I guess I… owe you an apology… for earlier." Gladio's eyebrows rose a bit, and his frown relaxed into a line, but otherwise he was a still as a statue, looking down on Noctis with that amber stare. "You were right… I was being selfish. And... I'm sorry."

"...Thanks." The answer to Noctis' apology came out a little rough around the edges, and a little hoarse, but genuine all the same. Gladio went to rub the back of his neck, allowing the posture of his body to relax a bit. This was going a lot better than he had planned. The shield had came to end the fighting, yes, but never in his life did he ever think he'd hear Noctis apologizing first. He was expecting at least a _little_ more arguing, and maybe more dumb excuses, before the apology would actually come. The alpha's heart swelled a little, seeing Noctis being so adult about it. Maybe the boy was making an effort to grow up and accept responsibility after all. "...I owe you an apology as well… I was a little harsh with the things I said… I just want you to be prepared, is all... For whatever may happen in the future... We care about you, kid. Just want to see you succeed."

Noctis nodded and smiled fondly at his shield, not expecting the raw caring and honesty from the hunter. It touched his heart a little. "Yeah… I know…"

Gladio pulled Noctis into a tight hug. "...Glad to be talking to you again, Noct..."

"Yeah. Same here, Big Guy."

They released one another and stood in a comfortable silence for a long while before Gladio cleared his throat and smiled, trying to strike up a conversation that didn't involve old hurt feelings. "So… You happy to be seeing Luna soon?"

Noctis' eyes widened, and he clenched his jaw. Oh. Yeah. Luna was still a thing. And he would be seeing her again soon. Very soon. His face reddened. How had he forgotten about Luna? He was having so much fun the past few days, she had not once crossed his mind, even though she was all he could think about not too long before. How come? Noct's alpha brain couldn't come up with a solution. Out of sight, out of mind, he supposed. Or maybe he was hoping their last awkward encounter had been nothing but a bad dream.

If only.

The prince let out a, "Of course!", hoping that he didn't sound as ridiculous as he felt. It was all rushing back to him, how the four of them had spent hours one afternoon planning the party that was to come. From the food, to the decor, the music, and even the outfits they would wear. How had he forgotten so easily?!

Gladio snickered. "Better make up for your last meeting, Noct. Don't want to fall out of your Lady's good graces, looking like an idiot again and such." The muscular man gave him a little wink and a laugh. Noctis laughed back, only a little strained-sounding. Gladio didn't seem to notice though, and for that, the prince was grateful.

"Yeah, I guess I'd better show her a good time, huh?"

"You should kiss her, kid. It would be awfully romantic." Noctis balked at his shield's suggestion and almost choked on his own spit. "Bet she'd love it."

" _Excuse me_?", he choked out.

"Yeah, go for it! Pretty soon you two'll be doing things a _lot_ more intimate, anyways, if you catch my drift." Gladio wiggled his eyebrows and offered Noctis a wink. "Might as well get the basics out of the way before then." The tattooed man grinned and patted Noctis on his back before heading in the direction of his own room. "Don't screw it up, either. You damned virgin."

Noctis grew bright red and had to take a few moments to calm himself as Gladiolus made his way to his own room and went inside, giving Noctis a quick thumbs-up on his way in. Suddenly, Noctis found himself thinking about kissing. He had never kissed anyone in his damned life before. Not so much as a peck on the cheek, not even to his own father as a young boy. His only knowledge of kissing came from what he'd seen on TV. ' _Of, blessed Six, what if Luna wants to kiss me? What if she's expecting it? What if I fuck it up?_ ' Noctis' mind was going miles a minute, worrying suddenly over everything that could possibly go wrong during the event. He blinked rapidly and shook his head, willing the bad thought to go away. He didn't want to think about it. Not now. Possibly not ever. He'd do the Noctis thing and wing it and hope for the best, probably. And also probably fuck it up royally, like he usually does.

But that's a problem for future Noctis. And present Noctis wanted to spend his evening _not_ drowning in anxiety, thank you.

After calming his raging nerves and waiting for his face to cool down, he pushed open the door to his room and stepped inside.

…

"Prompto… What the hell is this?" Noctis first stared at his half-destroyed living area, his couches with no cushions, before shifting his gaze further, onto the large pillow fort in the center of his bed. "Are we ten years old again?" He only half joked as he stepped closer towards the construction, seeking out his friend, who was nowhere in sight. Prompto's head appeared from beneath the flap of blanket that covered the entrance to the fort and his goofy, proud little smile made Noctis' heart flutter a little.

"You like it?" The blonde asked, excitedly. "Is it cool, or what? Best pillow fort you've ever seen, right?"

Noctis laughed and shook his head, giving Prompto an incredulous look. "How long did it take you to make that thing? And why?"

Prompto stared off in the distance, as if trying to figure that out for the first time. "Um… I don't know? Just felt like it, I guess?" Oh. Noctis let out an amused huff, crossing his arms, So Prompto _hadn't_ thought about it until now. The blonde continued, "And it took a good couple of hours. I'm super proud of it." The beta crawled out of the fort carefully to stand in front of the prince, all smiles and slightly mussed hair from how he was sleeping moments prior. "So, is Specs gonna make that pizza? I'm _starving!_ "

Noctis tipped his head in the direction of the gaming console. "You bet. Wanna play some games while we wait on it?"

"You're on."

The next few hours passed by quickly. The pizza had been delivered by Ignis within the first hour, and the two of them ate the whole thing by themselves, with no surprise. Prompto had felt a little bad that Ignis wasn't staying and having a bite, but the older man merely waved them off, saying something about how much paperwork he had to do and that he would just make himself something later. Video games were very loud and eventful, both boys yelling and playfully picking on each other as their characters beat one another to a pulp. Gladio had even barged in once, telling them to keep the noise down or else the video game characters wouldn't be the only ones receiving a beating, and both boys laughed and promised to comply. Prompto spent the next hour only a _little_ scared of the alpha's threat, flashing his gaze to the door every few minutes with slight paranoia that Noctis didn't miss out on picking at. In the end, they called their game a draw. To Noctis' slight frustration, Prompto had gotten increasingly good at all of his games.

Finally, Noctis turned the tv off with a muted click and looked to his friend. "So… What do we do now?"

The night was still relatively young, only a little after 10pm. Prompto was already lifting himself off the couch and making his way towards the bed. "Wanna see the inside of the fort?" The blonde suggested, shooting the alpha a playful smile and jutting a thumb over his shoulder towards the mountain of pillows and blankets. Before waiting around for a response, he immediately dove inside. Man, how Prompto had missed being in there those past few hours.

Noctis smiled a lop-sided grin and followed the blonde to the entrance, looking at it a little skeptically with a scrutinizing stare. "You sure we'll both fit in there?"

He could hear Prompto's playful scoff through the layers of plush walls and ceiling. "Noct. Dude. I spent _hours_ on this thing. You think after all that work I did, I wouldn't think to make room for _you_?"

Noctis shrugged and crawled inside. Prompto wasn't lying. The inside really was a lot bigger than it seemed from the outside. Yeah, they still had to curl up a bit beside each other in order to fit completely without their feet sticking out, and their elbows, hips, and shoulders bumped against one another with every shift in movement, but it was comfy to lay in and not nearly as stuffy as Noctis was anticipating. "So. What do we do now that we're here?", he asked.

Prompto shrugged. "Didn't really think that part out… haha... Um. Maybe... play a game?"

Noctis raised a brow. "What game? There's no game console in here, dummy."

Prompto playfully shoved Noctis' shoulder. " _Excuse me_ , your highness, but not _all_ games are video games." He rolled his eyes. " _Some_ games you just play with the company of a friend, and nothing else."

Noctis gave Prompto a playful punch to the chest. "Okay, smart-ass. What game?"

Prompto thought on it for a while before finally offering, "Never Have I Ever?", throwing his hands up in a shrug.

"I'll bite. How do you play?"

Prompto smiled. "Well, it's pretty simple, really. You start out by saying a statement about yourself. Something that you've never done. Like, 'Never have I ever eaten a single damned vegetable in my life.'" Noctis faked a grimace, not missing the blonde's dig on him. "And then if the other person has done it, they lose a point. You count points using the fingers on your hands. First one to lose five points is obviously the loser, and the other person is the winner."

Noctis nodded, seeming to understand the rules pretty well, and lifted a hand n the air, ready to play. Prompto grinned and did the same. "Got it. Sounds easy enough. I'll start. Never have I ever… worked out for fun."

Prompto faked a gasp and smacked Noctis on his chest with the hand that wasn't keeping score. "No fair, you can't say things you _know_ the other hasn't done, that's cheating!" He pouted, only with a little honesty to it.

Noctis stuck out his tongue at the blonde. "Sounds like that's how you _win_ , to me!", he retorted confidently. He wasn't about to let up anytime soon. Revenge for the vegetable comment.

Prompto folded his thumb into his palm begrudgingly, leaving only four fingers up. "Fine. Have it your way. Playing dirty it is! Never have I ever… had a personal assistant to wait on me every minute of my damned life!"

The boys laughed and Noct shot him a look as his thumb also lowered. "Hey, Ignis is one of the best! ...Never have I ever… Mastered a gun in like, less than a week!"

"Damn right I did. You're just jealous! " Prompto lost a pinky. "Never had I ever… had to leave a party because I couldn't control my raging alpha hormones, like a buffoon."

Noctis sucked in a breath and lowered his own pinky. "Wow, dude. Low blow." They laughed again, before settling down. Noctis thought a little harder about his next question. He wanted to think up something else funny and playful, but the reminder that he'd be seeing Luna again soon rang in the back of his mind like high-pitched bells, and it became hard to concentrate on anything other than the thought of the female alpha. When they first met again after so many years. The way they danced. The way she had gripped his hand on the balcony as they professed their mating engagement. How she was so ready to give herself to him. What would he have done, if the situations were reversed? What would he had done if it was Luna who hat began her rut? Would he have given himself, willingly, asking her to bond with him, right here and there? He honestly couldn't come up with an answer. His mind went blank at the mere suggestion. Did they really belong together? Was this really his fate? Was it really what he wanted?

Noctis swallowed, finally deciding on what he would say. Prompto waited patiently through the silence, waiting patiently. He was caught off-guard a bit, when the prince whispered, "...Never have I ever… fallen in love."

The beta's eyebrows rose high. It was a change of theme, one he didn't expect to come after all the light-hearted joking. But there was an intimate realness to it. One that made his heart drum in his chest. Noctis had never been in love before? Not even with Luna? Weren't they going to be bonded together soon? Prompto purposely avoided the way his chest ached a little at the thought. "Dude. Really? Never?"

Noctis shrugged, his cheeks turning a deep pink that didn't go unnoticed by Prompto in the dim atmosphere of the fort, suddenly regretting what he admitted a bit. He suddenly felt very vulnerable, admitting something so personal to his friend. Maybe he shouldn't have said anything. "I don't think so? I mean, strong feelings, maybe. A crush? Definitely. Sexual desire? Oh, _absolutely_. But love?" The prince's brows furrowed as he thought it over a little more. "…I don't know, man. Not yet, anyways... It's a little too early for that right now between me and Luna, probably... Maybe that'll change after I become king...?" The boys sat in silence for a bit. Noctis looked over to notice that Prompto hadn't retracted another finger. His heart thudded with the realization. ' _Oh_. _That must mean..._ ' "…You've never been in love either?", Noctis asked, surprise- and maybe also relief for some reason?- clearly showing on his features as he studied his friend.

Prompto bit at his lips under Noctis' curious gaze before slowly responding, "…Nope, not _this_ beta... Not a lot of girls want to hang out with some poor loser, let alone fall _in love_ with one… haha... Can't say I really blame them..." His laugh was strained, the beta could clearly hear it in his own ears. It made him want to cringe. There was no way his false-happy tone had fooled the alpha. Prompto was a little embarrassed.

Noctis frowned at the way the happy vibe was leaving so suddenly. He also didn't like the sad look in his beta's eyes. Without thinking, he blurted, "I like hanging out with you, you know... If that means anything."

Prompto turned his head to look at Noctis, eyes large and curious, searching for any hint of a lie in the alpha's face. "…Yeah? Really, Noct?" He didn't know why he was so surprised to hear the the prince of Insomnia enjoyed spending time with him. After all, they hadn't so much as argued since meeting. And everything was typically all giggles and smiles. But Prompto always had that fear of rejection looming in the back of his mind. The fear of being unimportant and easily forgotten by everyone he'd meet. Hearing Noctis say that brought so much relief to Prompto, it was almost hard to believe. He wanted to believe it.

Noctis turned his head to stare at the blonde as well, giving him a warm, deep gaze that Prompto found hard to break from, orbs of stormy blue, with a deep mixture of emotions in them, emotions Prompto couldn't even begin to decipher. "Yeah…", the prince breathed out finally, his voice barely more than a whisper.

He watched as Noct's eyes darted over the beta's face, taking in ever feature, and Prompto was suddenly all-too aware of their close proximity in the fort, how they were laying so close together, faces and bodies a mere couple inches apart. Prompto could feel Noct's breath, warm against his skin with every exhale. His eyes fell to Noctis' lips as the prince's tongue darted out to wet them absent-mindedly. Noct had nice lips. They looked so soft. He wondered how it would feel to-

Without realizing it, Prompto wet his own lips as well, and didn't miss Noctis' eyes drawn there immediately, for a few long seconds, before returning to Prompto's sky-blues. The freckled boy's heart beat rapidly in his chest and Noctis shifted, laying on his side, to face Prompto completely. Prompto's throat felt unbearably dry then. He swallowed before quietly uttering, "Never have I ever… kissed someone." The question was out there, and he couldn't take it back. Prompto blushed furiously. Why had he said that? He had just admitted he had never fallen in love, so _of course_ the fact that he had never kissed someone either was a given. It was dumb. He never should have said it. But the intrigue was there, in the back of his mind, begging to be sated. If Noctis wasn't in love with Lunafreya yet, then had they even kissed? He didn't even know if he _wanted_ to know anymore, too afraid of the answer. What would knowing that change? What was he hoping to gain from this?

Noctis blinked a few times, seemingly snapped out of whatever spell the other boy had put him in. He blushed and looked to stare at the dumb chocobo caricature on the beta's shirt, instead of the beta himself. He recalled his brief time in the bathroom with his childhood friend. The delicate, hot kisses he had trailed along her skin. Unsure, he asked, "Um…. Do kisses on the shoulder count...?"

Prompto laughed lightly despite the weird feeling that was between them and gave Noctis an incredulous look. " _Hell_ no, those don't count. What, you're telling me that _you_ , with all your fame and fortune and status, has never kissed _anyone_? Not even Luna?" Noctis made a small, playful frown and Prompto laughed a little more, shifting to face Noctis as well. "Man, Noct. I thought surely you'd be a lady-killer, but I guess _not_. Is Gladio the only one of you guys that has any luck with getting some?" Prompto mentally patted himself on the back for being able to sound so aloof and confident. In reality, his brain was screaming at him.

Noctis sighed and let the hand that was keeping score fall between them in the fort. "Hey, you just said _you've_ never kissed anyone either, remember? You're kinda being a hypocrite, Prom…" His voice was dripping with fake unhappiness that brought a smile to the blonde's lips. Prompto rolled his eyes and let his hand fall to settle between them as well, and Noctis' eyes followed as his hand brushed across his chest accidentally.

Prompto could feel Noctis' heartbeat through the thin fabric of his shirt and was surprised to feel it beating rather rapidly. He looked up to meet Noctis' face and felt his cheeks heat up with the sheer intensity in his gaze, the prince's face so close to his own. He was curious. What would it feel like, to kiss Noctis? To be kissed by him? He had an unshakable urge to try. ' _It would just be a friend helping out a friend. Just regular bro stuff. Everyone does it. It wouldn't be weird at all._ ', Prompto mentally tried to excuse what he'd say next, as if that would make his actions less selfish, less of an obviously bad idea. "You know… We could try it out… if you want…", he offered, trying to seem nonchalant, but he was pretty sure it just came off weird and awkward. His breath hitched when he felt the prince's fingers suddenly stroke lightly at his abdomen, grasping the shirt fabric in his fingers and tugging lightly, silently asking for the beta to come closer. Prompto was too scared to move. To afraid that he'd break the mesmerizing spell that had entrapped them.

"Try what...?" Noctis heard the words, but his brain wasn't processing them very well. He could only focus on feeling the body heat radiating off his friend, the intensity of Prompto's own gaze, a mixture of expectancy and want and confliction and perhaps, even affection? Noctis felt like he was going to die. Or explode. Or melt. Or piss himself. Or wake up from this crazy dream he was in. Did he really just hear that right? Did Prompto offer to let him kiss him? The prince felt like his head was spinning. Was this real life? He felt Prompto's hand grasp at the fabric of his own shirt, right above his heart, tugging the prince toward him much the same way Noctis had to him earlier, wordlessly asking for the space between them to disappear. Noctis was kind of shocked to find that he wanted the gap to disappear. _Wanted_ to pull the beta close. Noctis could smell Prompto. Honeysuckle and peaches and a feint, unmistakable hint of arousal that made his heart pound and blood travel straight to his cock. Noctis' hands ghosted over Prompto's lower abdomen through his chocobo tee and stopped at his hips, grasping them gently and pulling the freckled beta closer to his body, like he wanted.

"You know… kissing…", Prompto answered Noctis' previous question and his breath hitched and he closed his eyes when Noctis leaned in, the alpha's lips grazing over his own, so lightly, he was almost sure he had imagined it. Prompto's hand moved to glide over Noctis' chest before settling at the back of his neck, fingers grazing though the baby strands of silky, blue-black hair. Noctis' hair was so soft.

"Yeah." Noctis' lips pressed firmly to Prompto's, then. A short, clumsy, chaste kiss that was only a little off-centered. He went to draw back and Prompto leaned in for another before the prince could go too far away, eager to continue. This one a little better, a little longer. He could feel Noctis smirk against their kisses and hear his blissful sigh, was enveloped in the scent of heavy rain and lavender and the musky, unmistakable smell of arousal, and it made the beta feel light-headed and drunk. In the back of his mind, Prompto knew this was probably not the best idea. But those thoughts were shoved aside as quickly as they came when he felt the alpha's hands wrapping around his waist, pulling him into a tight embrace, pushing their bodies flush against one another.

It wasn't long before they found a good rhythm, deep and slow and savory. Prompto's hands roamed to rest on his prince's shoulders and Noctis rubbed small circles with his thumb into Prompto's hip bone and the blonde let out a little moan, which Noctis ate up gladly, using the opportunity to deepen the kiss, to taste the inside of his friend's mouth. It was just as sweet as he'd imagined. The beta's hands tugged gently on Noctis' short hair at his nape, and the alpha groaned low in his throat, appreciatively, and slowly began to push the beta's shirt up his chest, exposing his ribs to his touch. Prompto's bare skin was so hot, he seemed to be almost burning, but the boy shivered and writhed under every brush of fingers as if he were starving for warmth and Noctis was the sun itself. The blonde took Noct's bottom lip between his teeth, licking a swipe along it before nibbling at it experimentally. Noctis let out a breathy moan and kissed the corner of Prompto's mouth before trailing wet, open-mouthed kisses down along his jaw, to his chin, down his throat, nipping playfully at his adam's apple, every inch of skin he could get.

Prompto let out a needy whine and leaned his head back, offering up the flesh of his throat gladly. The prince smirked against his skin and continued to trail kissed further down, finding the junction where neck met shoulder and sucking, hard. Prompto's hips bucked in response, rubbing delicious friction between their hardening cocks within their pants, absolutely writhing beneath Noctis' lips on his neck and hands running along his ribs. Noctis hummed his approval of the blonde's honest reactions and kissed the small hickey he had made before coming back up to meet Prompto's lips once more in a needy, rough kiss, all tongues mingling and teeth clashing. Noctis' hand found one of the beta's nipples, and he pinched and rolled the nub between his fingers. Prompto broke from the kiss, gasping, " _Noct, please_ …" His voice came out as a whimper, utterly raw with pure want and arousal for the alpha and Noctis growled deep in his chest at the sound. He leaned his head down to take the flushed nipple in his mouth, and-

 _ **KNOCK.**_

 _ **KNOCK.**_

 _ **KNOCK.**_

Both boys jumped out of their skins and put as much distance between themselves as possible, almost destroying the pillow fort in the process.

"Who is it?" Noctis called out, his voice uneven and raspy, as he shared a look with Prompto, panting heavily and trying to fix the back of his hair where the beta's fingers had tangled earlier. Oh, _Gods,_ was it Gladio again? Had they been too loud? Had they been caught? His heart felt like it was in overdrive, like a small, injured bird cornered by a ferocious cat. The smell of arousal still lingered heavily in the air around them, and Noctis was sure someone would be able to smell it if they entered the room.

Prompto wiped the small trail of saliva from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand before tugging his shirt back down, over his exposed stomach. The hickey on his neck stood out, angry and red, on his otherwise pale skin. He was shaking a little, struggling to bring his own breathing under control. ' _Oh. Six, what the hell did I just do?_ ' Prompto was sitting in the fort, eyes darting around the space, and himself, and the prince. He was freaking out. He felt like he was going to have a break-down. ' _Noctis is going to mate soon. He already has a fated someone. We shouldn't be doing this. I shouldn't have done this._ '

A female voice rang from just outside the door, cheery and none-the-wiser about what had been going on in the room moments before. "Just checking to see if you needed anything, Prince Noctis." Thank the Astrals. Not either of the retainers, just one of the palace housekeepers.

Noctis cursed under his breath and drug a hand through his hair. He wanted to relax, but there was also no way that he could. He knew the housekeeper would never open the door to the prince's room without permission, but it didn't make him feel any more relieved. What if it had been Ignis? Or Gladiolus? His mind kept imagining how differently the situation could have gone. They had almost been caught. _He_ had almost been caught. He tried to sound a lot less shaky than he felt when he bellowed out a, "No. I'm fine. You may leave."

"Yes, Your Highness." They both listened as they heard her footsteps slowly fade away, leaving only the sounds of their own labored breathing in it's wake. The boys looked at each other for a long moment, unsure of what to say. What _could_ be said. There were a lot of things Noctis wanted to say, wanted to ask. What made Prompto offer to kiss him? What was the beta feeling? What do they do from here? What does that make them, now? How did Noctis, himself, feel about all of this? If his penis was an indicator, he'd say he was feeling pretty great.

Instead of any of that, though, Noctis just muttered an, "Um… I guess I can't say I've never kissed anyone now, huh?" He forced out a laugh, trying to lighten the situation.

Prompto narrowed his eyes a little, staring at Noctis, who was still trying to catch his breath and even out his nerves the same as he was. Of _course_ Noctis was only thinking about practicing. That's what it was supposed to be, it's what Prompto had offered. It was the beta's own idea. So why did that response frustrate him? Why was he feeling this way? He watched Noctis give him a small, uneasy smile, and he felt his chest tighten painfully in his chest. "Yeah. I guess I can't.", came the dry response. Prompto felt stupid. He felt like an absolute idiot for entertaining the idea that Noctis had some form of feelings for him, like he had suspected, maybe even wanted. Noctis noted the strange look his friend was giving and it made a distant haze of uneasiness flood him. What was that look for? What has the blonde thinking? He was going to follow up with something, anything. An offer to continue where they had left off, maybe. Preferably. But Prompto cut him off before the words could even form. "I... I think I should sleep in my own room tonight."

Oh.

Noctis had overstepped some boundaries. Prompto had offered to practice kissing, but maybe he had felt somehow cornered into doing it? Had Noctis made him mad? Did he take it too far, with the hickey? The prince nodded, trying not to show his friend how dejected and disappointed he was. "Yeah, that's cool. Probably for the best. Don't want a repeat of when you were up in that tree… haha."

Prompto wanted to click his tongue at the alpha, but held himself back. Noctis was joking? After all of that had went down, after they had almost been caught, the prince was seriously _joking_? The edges of his eyes stung. The air felt too thick. He had to get out of the fort. "Um… Goodnight, Noct. See you tomorrow. With your dad." He shuffled out of the fort wordlessly, and Noctis followed behind him.

"Yeah. I'll come pick you up and we can go there together."

"Okay."

With a few more seconds of awkward, agonizing silence, Prompto shuffled quickly out of Noctis' bedroom and down the hall to his unused quarters. After hearing the soft click of the door closing behind his freckled friend, Noctis fell back onto his bed, crushing the fort beneath him, carelessly. He brought his palms up to rub deeply into his eyes, and he mumbled a soft, "Fuck."

If anyone found out about what had just happened, he was sure to expect an ass-kicking from Gladiolus. Or maybe a slow and painful death.

But, more importantly, something had changed between him and Prompto. Or maybe nothing had changed at all. He wasn't sure. All he was certain of, was that they needed to talk about this. And soon. But before that, he needed to do some talking to himself. He needed to figure out what this all meant and what he wanted to happen from it. Where he needed to go from here.

Wherever he went, he hoped Prompto would be there with him.


	13. Chapter 12

Prompto found the room that was originally meant to house him fairly easily. It was just down the hall from Noctis' room, just one door past Ignis' and Gladiolus' apartments, at the very end of the hall. No key needed, thankfully. He turned the handle and pushed the door open, walking in and leaning on the door, closing it behind him and locking it with a soft click.

His stood on shaky legs, chest heaving with the remaining fear, stress, and adrenaline of almost being caught kissing and moaning and grinding against the future King of Insomnia. He observed the room around him, dark except for the moonlight that poured in from the large windows. The layout and furniture seemed to be about the same as Ignis' room, only this one had no personal touches, no comforting smells of friends, no signs of life whatsoever. It had a small kitchen, opening up to a living area, connecting balcony, and hallway and door leading to what was sure to be the bedroom and bathroom.

It was too dark and too cold and too lonely, and he wished more than anything that he could still sleep in Noctis' room. But he couldn't, not after what happened. His curiosity and fantasies got the better of him, and they had crossed an invisible line that they couldn't uncross again.

Noctis' kisses had been hot and deep, and his hands had left trails of fire and arousal everywhere they had felt Prompto up, but the way Noctis brushed it all off afterwards left him feeling cold and empty and foolish. He felt tears bubble up and spill over the rims of his eyes and he let out a frustrated whine, wiping them away as they fell. He pushed himself off the door and trudged down the hallway and to his bedroom with heavy, shaky steps.

The bedroom looked much the same as the rest of the room, mostly empty. A nice bed that was perfectly made, no signs of anyone touching it in a very long time, lamps sitting on bedside tables on either side of it, and a dresser on the wall across from it. He gave the area a once-over before letting out a shaky sob and plopping on the bed's surface. The thread count of the blankets had to be one of the highest he'd ever felt, but to Prompto, in that moment, they might as well had felt like itchy, uncomfortable wool against his skin.

He laid there a long time, clutching himself, sobbing wet stains into the blankets and sobbing. His lips trembled, still kiss-swollen and tingling. Why did he do it? It was obvious Noctis liked Luna. He may have not been in love with her, but that shouldn't have changed anything. They were technically _together_. They were promised to each other. Prompto had never met Luna, but from the stories he had heard of her by the retainers, she seemed like a very sweet, very put-together woman. She didn't deserve to have Noctis being with him in that way behind her back. He didn't want to destroy their bond. He'd feel absolutely awful if that was what resulted from their trysts.

It was painfully obvious now to Prompto that he had developed feelings for Noctis, their kiss had only confirmed it. It hurt even more, knowing that. That he liked Noctis, but could never have him. That they weren't meant to be. Prompto wasn't royalty, wasn't an alpha to help transfer the strong Caelum genes onto a future heir to the throne. He was just… him. A nobody. Just some beta, only in the castle due to the whims of the prince and nothing more.

Prompto crawled beneath the blankets of his bed and closed his eyes tightly, trying to forget that he existed. Trying to will sleep on him so that he wouldn't have to think about it anymore. It took hours, but sleep finally took him.

 **…**

Noctis actually woke up on his own, before the alarm clock even sounded, no help from Ignis or Prompto.

Well, to be more accurate, he was awake the whole night in the first place. Sleep had eluded the prince, and it had left him to think about everything. About Prompto, about the kiss, about Luna, about how he felt about all of it, how he felt about _them_.

He had concluded, hours and hours ago, that he obviously had feelings for Prompto. The signs were there, even before they shared that time together in the pillow fort. It just took one kiss to figure it all out. Prompto was kind, caring, funny, charismatic, and cute. Noctis was drawn to him like a moth to a flame, from the very beginning, in that forest. Prompto stirred feelings and impulses in Noctis that he never experienced with Lunafreya.

Luna was a great friend, and a wonderful person. A _way_ better person than the prince, himself. She was elegant and gorgeous and smart and gifted. But she was no Prompto. He couldn't imagine being as close to her as he had been with the beta these past few days. The very idea seemed so foreign, Noctis wondered if it was even possible. But of course, the idea had to be possible, because they were going to be mates in a few months' time.

Noctis sat up from his bed, pillow fort still crumbled beneath him, and yawned. He wished he could have gotten _some_ sort of sleep. Today was going to be hell. The prince trudged into his bathroom and filled the tub, slipping into it earnestly and letting out a small sigh.

He wondered how Prompto probably felt. The blonde had consented, clearly, had wanted the kiss just as much as Noctis did, panting and moaning and almost begging for it. Noctis smiled at the fond reminiscing of it all. It had been warm, comfortable, nice. It had felt so natural, that Noctis hadn't even given it a second thought when he had tried to move it farther along, almost tasting the blonde's body. Didn't this mean Prompto liked him back? Weren't their feelings mutual?

Suddenly, excitement filled the alpha. Of course, that's what it all meant. They liked each other! Noctis washed up as fast as possible and dried off before putting on his usual attire. He had to see Prompto. To tell the beta how he felt. To kiss him again. He opened the door to the hallway and practically sprinted down it before stopping at the blonde's mostly unused quarters. He gently rapped on the door.

"Prom, I'm here! It's time to meet my dad. You ready to do this?"

Nothing. Silence.

Odd.

' _Maybe he accidentally overslept?_ ' The alpha thought. Prompto had never been asleep longer than him, but the idea wasn't entirely impossible, right? It could happen. He knocked on the door again, a little harder and more urgent. "Prom, you up? Come on, we don't want to be late! You want to make a good impression, right?"

Nothing but silence again.

Noctis bit his lip and shifted his weight on his feet in an awkward, nervous dance. Wasn't Prompto in there? He was, right? Noctis almost opened the door and walked in to look for him, but there was a resounding click from the other side. Noctis' worries lifted off his shoulders instantly as the door opened and Prompto appeared from within. The blonde's eyes were a little red around the edges and his hair looked a little less well-kept. Noctis inwardly shrugged. Possibly from lack of sleep.

He smiled wide and pulled Prompto into a tight embrace.

Prompto stiffened within Noctis' arms. He wasn't expecting the prince to hug him so soon, not after last night. A little confused, he wrapped his arms around the prince and returned the hug. "Umm.. Hey, Noct.", the beta greeted.

Noctis pulled back a little, to look into Prompto's eyes. The prince seemed to be much the same as he had been. No signs of staying up late and worrying over everything and what it meant as the blonde had done. He seemed confident. Aloof. It made Prompto's stomach do a queasy flip. Why he wasn't as affected as Prompto was? Was it just dropped, forgotten?

Noctis returned the "Hey", and made a slow attempt to lean In and capture his friend's lips in a chaste kiss, his arms resting around the blonde's hips loosely. Prompto's eyes widened in surprise and shock. He gave Noctis' chest a slight shove, increasing the distance between them. What was going on? They weren't supposed to be continuing this. Noctis had Luna. Prompto had just been practice, and nothing more. Noctis' brow furrowed in confusion. "What's up, Prom?" Maybe the beta hadn't realized that the alpha was attempting to kiss him? He went to hold Prompto's hand and try again, earning him a scoff and a slightly rougher shove to the chest.

"Noctis, what are you doing? Cut it out, man." Prompto kept his voice light, nonchalant, friendly. But his eyes betrayed him, staring up at his friend in confusion and an underlying resolve.

Noctis blinked. "What do you mean? I was going to kiss you, obviously."

"So you think we can kiss _whenever_ , now? I'm not your plaything, Noct."

Noctis eyes grew large as he stared down at his friend in disbelief. What was going on? "Prom, what's wrong? I thought you liked me..."

Prompto looked away, tears threatening to come back up, despite how much he had cried the previous night. "I… I do…", he whispered.

Noctis sighed a little in relief and went to take the beta's hand. "And I like you too."

Prompto shook off the prince's advances and put a few paces of space between them. "This shouldn't be _happening,_ Noct! It was just supposed to be _practice_. You're with Lunafreya!" Prompto turned with his arms crossed over his chest to level Noctis with a stern look. He was the hurt in his friend's eyes and felt a twinge of pain pull at his heart, but he had to stay strong. He couldn't let his feelings ruin Noctis' future.

"Prom, forget Lunafreya. I want _you_." Noctis tried to walk toward Prompto, but with every step he took, the other boy took a step back, maintaining their distance. "Why are you acting like this?"

"No, Noctis. Stop. We can't be together. It isn't right."

Anger showed on the prince's face and the man threw his hands up in frustration. "Who cares, Prom? All that should matter is how the two of us feel, right? It's clear you like me, and I like _you_ , so what's holding you back?"

"What's holding _me_ back is what should be holding _you_ back!" He beta was almost yelling, giving the prince an incredulous, angry glare. "You can't just drop everything and _be_ with me, Noctis! You're the _Prince_! You need to do what your dad said and mate an _alpha_! Someone to carry on your lineage! In case you've forgotten, I'm not an alpha, Noct! I'm not even _royalty_! There's no way this can happen. It _shouldn't_ happen!" Prompto let out a frustrated sound and ran shaky hands through his hair, tugging at the roots. He let a few beats of silence pass between them before he stated, in a quieter, calmer voice, "…We need to end this."

Noctis clenched his jaw and hands, looking down at the ground. His head hurt. His heart hurt. He knew Prompto was right, just like Gladiolus and Ignis had been right. It didn't make him feel good at all. He hated this. With a heavy, quiet voice, he looked up and asked, "So… You don't want to be my retainer anymore?"

Prompto frowned, softening a bit beneath the prince's gaze. "Of course I still want to be your retainer, Noctis… I'm still your friend." He didn't miss how the alpha physically flinched at hearing the word friend. "But if I'm going to be your retainer, I have to think about the good of the people and Insomnia above all else. Even if that means pushing my own feelings aside… You need to be with Lunafreya."

They both stood there for a long while, not saying anything. Prompto's breaths came out a little shaky, and he felt like he wanted to vomit. His heart hurt, and he felt like he could cry at any moment, but he knew he had done the right thing. For himself, for Noctis, for all of Insomnia. This was for the best, even if it was the exact opposite of what he wanted to do. He just hoped Noctis would understand.

"I understand." Noctis said, finally, "Gladio was right. I'm always acting selfishly. I'm sorry. Friends is… good. We can be friends. I'd like that…" It was true, Noctis would rather be friends with the beta than nothing at all. It hurt, but maybe, if he tried, he could forget his feelings and go back to how things were before.

They shared a long look, silently agreeing to not overstep the invisible line again, and made their way to the throne room, where King Regis would be.

 **…**

Regis looked to the large doors as they opened, and he eyed his son and some blonde boy enter the throne room. Regis smiled at his son, whom he hadn't seen in days. "Noctis, son! What brings you here today? And so early?" The king laughed, knowing his son was normally quite the late sleeper when he tried.

Noctis smiled a little. "Hey, dad."

Regis looked to the boy at his son's side. ' _Beta_.', he observed. "Noctis, who's this? Why have I not had the pleasure of meeting him sooner?"

Prompto squeaked when the King's eyes settled on him. The man had the strongest scent of pure alpha power the beta had ever smelt in his life, and it was terrifying. He was thankful when Noctis answered for him, all voice seeming to have left his throat.

"He's Prompto. A beta from Lestallum."

Regus' eyes squinted at the boy. A commoner from Lestallum? In the castle? He regarded the two of them warily and wondered what this was all about. "I see."

"So, I have him here today, because I wanted to ask you something." Noctis looked at Prompto, who was all but shaking in his boots. His first instinct was to pull him close and whisper reassurances in his ear, but he snuffed that idea as quickly as it came. Friends. They were just friends. "Um. You know… I've been meaning to take on a third retainer for a while now, and I thought- "

"Absolutely not, Noctis." The king's alpha voice bellowed loud and deep, reverberating off the walls of the room.

Prompto and Noctis stared at Regis wide-eyed and frozen in place. No? Already?

"But- Dad- He's been practicing with Gladio and Iggy! He's been certified by my shield! He's passed all the tests!"

Regis raised a calloused hand and shook his head, firmly. "The man isn't an Insomnian. He's practically a _stranger_ , Noctis. Ignis and Gladiolus are your retainers because they've been with our family, serving us for years. They can be trusted. You barely know this boy, and I know nothing about him at all. The very idea is ridiculous."

"But, dad, I- "

"Not another word, Noctis. What I said was final." Prompto felt all the air leave his lungs. He felt like someone had punched him in the chest. The idea had been shot down so fast, he could barely register it. It only furthered his feeling of alienation and not belonging here. It was a wonderful dream, while it lasted. But that dream was sinking so fast, his head was spinning. "You'll take this man back to Lestallum, Noctis. Is that understood?"

Noctis growled. Was it _really_ impossible? It couldn't be. It was his only chance to keep Prompto around. He had to try harder. Surely, there was _some_ way to convince his dad. Some other tactic he could try. "Dad, just hear me out! He- "

" **Do I make myself clear, Prince Noctis? You are to take this boy back to Lestallum immediately."** Regis's alpha influence fell over the two of them, and the weight of it made Prompto's head buzz and his knees feel weak. Noctis was less affected, but knew that he couldn't oppose, even if he wanted. His father's words were absolute, dripping with a steely resolve.

Glaring, he responded, "…. Yes, father….", before taking Prompto's arm and leading the two of them out of the throne room.

Regis sighed heavily. He could never figure Noctis out. Ever since he was young, he had wanted the strangest things. The king felt bad for having to be so stern with his son, but it was for the best. In the end, he would never turn Noctis' life over into the hands of someone he didn't trust. He knew his son was upset now, but eventually he'd forget all about it.

All in good time.


	14. Chapter 13

"I'm gonna miss you, Little Guy… Gonna be real quiet here without you." Gladio squeezed Prompto's shoulder and gave the boy an apologetic look.

"Indeed… I'm going to miss not having to wake Noctis up every morning again… And someone to finish his vegetables." Ignis kept his distance a bit, standing straight and looking all business as usual, but the underlying soft tone of his voice gave away how sad he was to see the beta go.

Prompto bit back his body's urge to cry, physically biting his lip so hard the skin almost broke. He forced his face to mold into something resembling a grin, clapping his hand over the shield's larger one and placing his other hand on Iggy's shoulder. "Gonna miss you too, Big Guy. Thanks, Specs. Sorry I wasn't good enough..."

Gladio furrowed his brows. "Don't say that, Prom. You're _damned_ good. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Which reminds me…" The shield reached behind his body, pulling something out of his back pocket. "…Keep that pistol. You'd do better with it than Noctis would." Prompto's eyes widened and his mouth fell open as Gladio placed said gun in his hands, the same one he had grown accustomed to these past few days. The blonde felt the familiar weight of it and he gripped it gently, looking up at the alpha with watery eyes. "It's connected to the Armiger. No matter how far away from Insomnia you are, if you want to use it, it'll appear for you. Same as always." Gladio smiled warmly down at him as Prompto made the weapon disappear in a flurry of blue magic.

"Thanks, Gladio… I… I don't know how to thank you- I don't know what to say…" Prompto returned the fond smile, not being able to hold in a tear as it trickled slowly down his freckled cheek.

"Don't gotta say anything. Just go out there and give 'em hell, kid."

Prompto nodded and turned his attention to Ignis. "Man, I'm gonna miss all of that good food, Iggy. And the way you smack people on the back of the head… Promise me you'll come visit me at Wiz's some time?"

Ignis held back a cringe at the thought, giving a smile to the beta. Chocobos were awful, but Prompto would be worth it. "Of course.", he offered, and was suddenly wrapped inside of Prompto's arms as he was pulled in for the tightest hug of his life, even being lifted off his feet a little. When the beta was finally released, he mocked an unpleasant frown and tried to smooth out the wrinkles in his freshly pressed shirt. Gladio and Prompto laughed at him and Ignis smiled, all the same.

Noctis watched his friends saying goodbye to each other from afar, inside the regalia. Ignis had offered to drive, but Noctis had immediately refused. He wanted the alone time with Prompto. Watching the other two men so close to his friend made him frown as jealousy welled in Is chest. It was dumb to feel that way, Noctis knew. But there it was, and he wasn't dealing with it well. The prince grumbled before laying on the horn a bit, drawing their attention.

Prompto turned around and met his eyes, and Noctis gave him an apologetic look. "It's time to go, Prom…"

The blonde nodded solemnly and trudged to the car, opening the passenger door and sliding onto the hot leather seat. It was only a few hours into the morning, and the sun was already beating down hard, making everything hot to the touch. Even with his tank top and vest that exposed a good bit of neck and arms, Prompto felt like he was going to melt into his seat. The beta gave one last look and wave to his new friends before Noctis started the engine and steered the car into the direction of Wiz's.

"…Bye, guys…" Prompto whispered as he watched the two men in the rearview mirror, becoming smaller and smaller, until they became tiny blotches and disappeared altogether. Once they were finally gone, he folded his arms on the door next to his seat and laid his head there, looking off into the distance with a tired sigh.

It was all over. The life he'd hoped he'd have was over. He was on his way to the life he knew before, wandering from place to place and working at Wiz's, sleeping in the loft above the chocobo stables. Hay and straw and feathers was _not_ going to be as comfortable as Noct's bed. Not to mention, he'd be alone again. Wiz was kind, and he was a very caring omega, but he was far from someone to talk to about anything other than the weather of his birds.

Noctis glanced at him from the side of his eye a few times as he drove. He felt the need to speak up, to say something, but nothing would form in his throat to come out. He could see that Prompto was emotionally drained. Noctis could tell the blonde had been crying, more than just that single tear with Gladio. His eyes were puffy and red and there were heavy bags under them, from lack of sleep. Noctis didn't notice it when they met up that morning, but now, after everything was final and relatively calm, it was glaringly obvious.

Noctis felt like a complete asshole. Prompto had been up half the night, worrying about what the hell they had done together that and how he was probably fucking up an entire nation, and all Noctis had been thinking about was wanting _more_. Even now, as he drove through the tall outer wall of Insomnia, all he could think about, all he wanted to do was hold Prompto's hand, pull him closer, kiss him, make the sadness go away, put a smile back on his face. He wanted to take in his smell, let it envelope him, and never let it go.

He huffed a sigh and just decided to stay quiet. Better say nothing at all than something he'd regret later.

…

The two were well into Hammerhead before Noctis finally got the courage to say something, the heat of the sun enveloping them even further, making the road dance in the distance with the radiating heat of the blacktop. The desert stretched on for miles, no end in sight. Small clusters of brush dusted the layout. Sometimes the rare tree. But it was mostly just rocks and dirt.

The prince could stand the silence no longer. Now was the right time, he was sure. Noctis briefly looked behind his chair to make sure the item was still there an unharmed. It was. Perfect. He cleared his throat. "Hey, Prom?"

There was a long silence, and Noctis thought maybe the blonde had fallen asleep, but then a dry, "Yeah, Noct?", sounded and he was relieved.

"I got something for ya. It's in the back, on the floorboards. You can have it, if you want."

Perking up a bit, Prompto gave the prince a curious look before turning back in his seat to search for said object. He felt the floor of the car beneath his fingertips vibrate as he felt up the surface, searching for the item, eventually landing on something hard and plastic. The beta grasped it, lifting it up and turning back correctly in his seat to view it. Almost immediately afterwards, Prompto practically stood up in his seat, the seatbelt being the only thing stopping him.

"Oh, _Six_ , Noctis- really?! Are you serious?!" Noctis smiled as Prompto turned the new camera over in his hands, inspecting every detail and button and every feature. It was a brand-new model of the ancient one Noctis had stepped on. Able to take a picture in crystal clear HD and print it out in a polaroid fashion. The pictures could also be saved on a sim card and uploaded to various devices, so it was the best of both worlds. Prompto looked at his friend. "Gods, Noct. This camera is _way_ better than the old one. I couldn't possibly take it, it's too much! I- "

Noctis shook his head and cut in before his friend could finish. "It's the least I could do. After all, I _do_ owe you one… From before… And with everything I put you through recently, you deserve something nice… Something that'll make you happy."

Noctis had practically _begged_ Ignis to skip their lessons for an hour of the afternoon, to allow them to drive to a store and buy it for the beta. At first, Ignis had absolutely rejected the idea. But as soon as Noctis said that he had broken Prompto's original one, the man gave him a stern lecture about treating others' items with as much care as his own, and that smashing things was behavior he expected of Gladio, not the future King of Insomnia. Noctis thought he'd never hear the end of it, but it finally ended, and the advisor drive them to the city. He'd had it for a while now, waiting for the right time to give it to Prompto.

Prompto's heart fluttered in his chest before he mentally stomped it into the ground when the thought of, ' _you make me happy_ ' popped into his mind. Soon, they would be apart, probably to never see each other again. He had to squash those feelings for Noctis. Even so, he didn't want to forget about the man. Or the others, for that matter. He wished he could have taken a picture with them, but he figured a picture of Noctis would be sufficient enough. He'd also show it to Wiz later, and tell him all about the royal palace and his adventures. Prompto was sure the man would be ecstatic to hear about it all.

"Hey. Noct?"

"Yeah?"

"Want to take a picture with me? You know. For memories."

Noctis looked at the blonde for a bit before turning his head back to the road. "Sure. Love to." He smelled Prompto's radiating happiness as the blonde smiled and immediately began scanning the area for potential locations that would look nice. ' _So adorable_ ', the prince thought as Prompto turned every which way in his seat, even standing on his knees to get a better range of the area. After a short time, he pointed to a large rock that was shaped in a pretty neat, odd sort of fashion. Nothing super special, just a weird rock. But it would do.

"Let's take it over there! By that cool rock with the desert in the background. That'll look nice!"

Noctis chuckled and began driving toward the location. "Sure, Prom. Sounds good."

The prince eventually veered off to the side of the road, grateful that the roads were so clear of other cars that day. It felt like they had the whole world to themselves, and the alpha wished it were really true. Noctis killed the ignition and they exited the car, making the short walk over to the location Prompto had pointed at earlier. He watched the beta with an amused look as the boy practically skipped on the way. He didn't know the camera would make him so happy. ' _Good job, Noct. Best friend ever._ ', he inwardly congratulated himself with smirk.

Once in front of the rock, Prompto turned their backs to it and pulled Noctis close time him, an arm over the prince's shoulder. Noctis flushed a little, not expecting to be pulled so close, smelling Prompto's unique scent mixed with the soft, warm scent of his happiness, and he had the huge urge to wrap his arm around his waist and pull the boy closer, but refrained. ' _Friends._ ', he repeated over and over in his mind, ' _Just friends._ '.

On Prompto's part, he had pulled Noctis close without even thinking about it. After being so close to the boy for so long, it came as second nature and he didn't register it until it had already been done. His heart thudded, and his nerves were screaming at him to put distance between them, but at that point it would be strange to pull his friend so close and then push him away immediately after. He could smell the shampoo Noctis had used that morning and fought back the urge to nuzzle his nose into those silky strands and inhale deeply. ' _Damn it, Prompto. Quit being so weak! You're a beta, damn it. Not some needy omega! Quit wanting to be so close! Think of Luna! Think of her feelings!_ ' He had to stay strong.

The picture needed to happen and be over with as soon as possible before either of them got more urge. Prompto raised the camera to face the two of them and he grinned widely. "Selfie time! Smile, Noct!" Noctis barely had the time to, but somehow pulled it off, before the flash went off and a slip of photo paper whirred out of the bottom. The beta snatched it up gladly and allowed the alpha to see it.

"Not bad." Noct smiled, nodding. He had to admit, they did look rather nice in the photo. Prompto looked happy and Noct looked pleased as punch, their cheeks pressed against each other and fluffy blonde tufts of hair mingling in soft blue-black strands between them. In the background, you could see the rock immediately behind them, followed by the vast expanse of desert. "Can I have one, too?" Prompto nodded and printed off another copy, handing it over to the prince. "You're a good photographer, Prom. Ever thought of making a living out of it?"

The other man scoffed and elbowed the prince in the ribs playfully. "I don't think I'm _that_ skilled, dude. You're totally embellishing my abilities."

"I'd like to see the other photos you take, sometime… If that's cool." Noctis looked down at his feet and a light blush dusted his cheeks. He hoped Prompto would blame the desert heat for it.

"…Really?" Prompto noticed. He absolutely noticed. Noct looked _really_ handsome like that, looking all shy an shit. It made the beta want to pull him close and kiss those soft lips, but he refrained. ' _Just friends._ '. The knowledge that Noctis would still want to see him after they separated, to hang out with him and look at his photos, warmed Prompto and made his heartrate increase profusely before he could stop himself.

"Really." Noctis's reassured him, stormy blue eyes met with sky blue ones and he smiled a small, shy smile.

"Anytime." Prompto returned the smile and turned his camera off. If he wasn't going 'home' soon, he knew that those eyes would eventually be the end of him.

"…I'm… really going to miss you, Prom…"

Now it was Prompto's turn to blush. "Me too." A few moments of silence passed between them, both wanting to say so much more but holding themselves back. Instead, the only thing that came out was, "We should head back to the car."

Yeah. Yeah, they probably should.

They turned around and began making the journey back, photos in hand, Noctis leading the way. Prompto stared at his back, shirt clinging slightly to his skin due to the sweat from the sweltering heat, jacket forgone long ago. He could notice how each muscle moved beneath the fabric as the alpha walked, could see the slight sway of his hips as each leg stepped in front of the other, boots crunching on the ground as he walked. The breeze that came through made his short hair flutter gently and Prompto wanted for all the world to run his hands through it. He could smell Noct's unique alpha scent mixed with the sweat on his body coming at him with the wind, and he breathed in deeply, never wanting to let it go. Pretty soon, he'd have to. He wouldn't be wrapped in Noct's wonderful scent for a long, long time.

Prompto frowned and made an unconscious move to reach out for Noctis, to grab the back of his shirt and pull him into his chest, but stopped abruptly as something hit him from his right, knocking the wind out of him, and sending him skidding to the unrelenting, rocky surface of the desert ground.

Noctis spun around at the sound of Prompto's cry of pain and his sword materialized in his palm as soon as he noticed a sabertusk was atop his friend, sharp claws pinning him to the ground as fangs desperately tried to get to Prompto through his thick leather vest. Noctis growled and threw his sword at the animal. The blade landed deep between two of the creature's ribs, eliciting a wild, pained roar. Noctis was next to it in an instant, warping along with the blade. He pulled it out of the beast, kicking the wounded thing off Prompto and sending it landing and rolling off to the side. The beast cried out in agony and growled, running off some ways, trailing little pools of blood behind it. It wouldn't go far, though. Noctis knew. Sabertusks were relentless creatures, especially when hungry.

From the looks of the creature, furless skin clinging to muscle and the prominent bones of its spine and ribs, it had not eaten in days.

Prompto pushed himself off the ground with shaky arms and held back a strangled cry at the pain that flared up. Deep, red and irritated scratches ran in long swipes down one of his arms and his shoulder. His right side throbbed. No teeth had made it past the protection of his jacket in that short amount of time, thank the Gods, but damned if the sabertusk hadn't tried. The teeth had attempted to bite into him, but only succeeded in deeply bruising the flesh that had been beneath the fangs. Once crouching on his knees, he felt Noctis at his side, arms gripping his shoulders gently and trying to help him to stand.

"Are you okay? Can you stand?" Noctis saw the scratches and felt the warm wetness of Prompto's blood beneath his fingers. He growled low in his throat and looked to the wounded sabertusk, who was still only a few feet away, keeping its distance, but eyeing the two of them hungrily, absolutely ignoring his wound in favor of stalking and plotting another pounce. It wasn't alone. Noctis looked around them from left to right and back again to find a whole pack had surrounded them in those few seconds, the creatures pacing and stalking back and forth like lions. There had to be at least seven. Maybe nine. And the pack leader was nowhere to be found. Not good.

Prompto's body ached and stung and he could feel some blood lightly trickling down his arms, but he gritted his teeth and nodded. "Yeah." With the help of his friend, the beta pushed himself up to stand, slightly hunched, on shaky legs. He noticed the mass of animals circling them and he gritted his teeth. "Fuck."

"You can say that again." Noctis agreed, and turned around, so that they were back-to-back, able to see all the sabertusks without any blind spots. Noctis' eyes darted frantically from one to the next, trying to study their body language and attempt to figure out which would try and pounce first. "Can you fight?" Noctis silently called his blade to his palm once more and readied the weapon, glancing behind his back at Prompto.

The blond nodded, materializing his own weapon into his hands. "Yeah, I think so." He took the clip out, verifying how many shots he had, and placed it back in with a snap. "Never shot anything _living_ before, so we'll see how this goes… I'm guessing these guys move faster than those moving targets back at the palace, huh?"

"Yup. A lot faster. And be careful not to let one get you again. They're known to be sometimes be poisonous. Let's hope you aren't already inflicted. I didn't bring any potions or antidotes." He hadn't thought to bring anything along, assuming there would have been no stops along the way or back. Ignis would have smacked him for being so careless. He could already hear that snooty voice in is head saying, ' _A good king must be prepared for anything._ '.

"Oh. _Goody_." Prompto said sarcastically, and let out a strained chuckle. He was trying to hold in his nerves the best he could, not wanting to lock up out of fear and being unable to fire his gun, and humor was always there to assist. His vision was a little blurry around the edges, and he blinked rapidly, attempting to stay focused on the sabertusks ahead of him. Fuck. He was already poisoned. Already, he could feel himself growing weaker and weaker by the second. "Let's make quick work of this."

"Right." The sabertusk that Noctis had stabbed earlier was the first to pounce, running up on the duo with a shrill cry before leaping in the air, attempting to take out the source of his pain, the prince. "Here it comes!" He called, sidestepping and dodging the creature as it landed on the other side of them. With that, the relative stillness of the crowd was utterly destroyed, sabertusks bolting in every direction franticly, attempting to become harder to aim at and harder to predict with their frantic movements.

The two separated and split away, giving each other more room to work so as not to accidentally hurt one another.

Noctis made easy work of the first couple of the beasts. The one that had started it all came at him once again, from his side this time. The prince crouched down where he was standing, ducking under the pouncing beast and thrusting his sword upward, into it's belly as it went overhead. The beast screamed in pain, momentum halting, gravity pressing the blade further into it and impaling. Noctis threw it off his sword with some force and a grunt, and it landed not too far away, writhing and crying out in agony in a heavy pool of blood. He ran over to it and stood over it's head, thrusting the sword down into its skull, finally putting the beast out of its misery with a sickening crunch.

The next came out of nowhere, pouncing on the prince's back. Noctis cried out, feeling its sharp claws dig into his shoulder blades and the backs of his thighs. Before it could take a bite of him, Noctis worked fast, grabbing the animal by it's skin and throwing it over his shoulders. It flew into the large rock where they had taken their picture

Noctis stood with his hands bracing his knees. He could feel the sting of the claws, could feel the hot desert breeze hitting his back and legs through the rips in the back of his shirt and pants. His clothes felt damp and he knew it was with his blood. The animal cried out before scrambling to it's feet and coming at him again with a renewed vigor. The sabertusk swiped long claws at the alpha, but was easily evaded as Noctis phased out of the way in a shimmer of blue. He called upon his blade and made a few swings, cutting the surface of the beast's skin before finally making the finishing blow, swiftly cutting the back of its front legs at the joints and lobbing off it's head as it fell to the ground.

This was Prompto's first, real fight, and boy, was it a doozy. A sabertusk ran towards him and leapt for the beta. He ducked and rolled, avoiding impact, but snapped his head to the left as another animal made its way to him. He raised his gun and let off a few rounds, impacting the beast in the chest and sending it falling back. He stood back up and whirled around, shooting at one of the sabertusks stalking them in the background.

That was two kills. How many had Noctis killed? His vision blurred in and out and he shook his head. He couldn't let the poison take him over. He couldn't black out. Not here, not now. He looked to the prince, who was swiftly cutting down another foe, but not noticing the sabertusk that was closing in on his northwest side. "Noctis, crouch down!" The prince did so, still swinging at his own opponent, and Prompto ran full speed, jumping onto Noctis' back and pushing off, propelling himself high into the air above the sabertusk. Twirling in the air, he rained a barrage of bullets down on it, severing its spine with a loud snap and a high-pitched growl before it fell motionless on the ground. Prompto landed and rolled along the ground, coughing from the dust that rose up at the impact.

Noctis slit the throat of his sabertusk before sprinting to Prompto's side. "Prom! You okay?"

"Yeah. You?"

"I'm not dead, so I guess pretty good."

They formed back into their back-to-back position that they started in, eyeing the remaining beasts.

"How many have you killed? Prompto asked over his shoulder.

"Three. You?"

"Three, I think."

Six down, two to go. The duo made quick work of the final ones, working together to take them down with bullets and blades. After the last sabertusk fell lifelessly to the ground, Prompto fell to his hands and knees. He was lightheaded, ever movement making it feel like he was walking on the surface of the rocky sea, sending the world swaying back and forth. His arms shook and stung from the scratches. It was probably the sting of the poison infecting his blood stream.

"Prom?" Noct noticed how his friend had fallen to the ground and went to meet him, but let out a startled cry as something impacted him, sending him flying into the hard surface of the rock a few feet away from them.

"Noctis!" The beta cried out, watching his friend's body fall to the ground in a heap. Next to his body stood a large flexitusk, it's albino skin rippling with wound up muscle. It was the leader of the pack, and it towered over the others, almost twice as large. It had used all of its strength to crash into the prince. Prompto shot at the ground around the flexitusk, scaring it a bit so that it would back away from his friend.

It roared and sprinted away, disappearing. Prompto knew I wouldn't be gone for long. He crawled as fast as he could to his friend, shaking his shoulders vigorously. "Noct! Noctis! Wake up!" The alpha didn't stir. Blood was smeared onto the rock where he had impacted, and Prompto stared at Noctis with wide eyes. Was he breathing? He knelt down, pressing his ear to his chest. There was a heartbeat. Good. Noctis wasn't dead, just knocked out. He looked around, but still saw no signs of the pack leader.

"AH-!" As if luck could not be any worse, a cramp tore through him, sending him falling to the ground next to Noctis, his arms and legs giving out. He felt hot, searing pain all over. His arms felt numb from the poison coursing through them, pure adrenaline being the only thing keeping them moving this long. He turned to lay on his back, gun loosely clutched in one hand.

The world around him was going in and out, and it took everything he had not to pass out right then and there. From the corner of his eye, interrupting the never-ending expanse of cloudless sky, he saw the flexitisk's head, peering down at the two of them from atop the boulder, baring his teeth and letting out a primitive, shrill cry of anger for his fallen packmates. Prompto clutched his gun and brought the weapon up with shaky arms, aiming it at the beast.

It jumped, then, High into the air, blocking out the sun in the beta's line of vision. It was falling down, towards them, paws outstretched and claws at the ready, mouth wide open, ready to chomp into their flesh as soon as he connected. It all seemed to happen in slow motion. Prompto placed his finger on the trigger and waited until the beast was only a foot or so away, until he had absolutely no room for error, and he pulled the trigger.

The gun went off, the bullet soaring straight through the pack leader's open mouth and into his skull, shattering bone and sending bits of brain flying, raining down around them. It landed on top of Prompto and he lifted and kicked it off, letting the body roll over to rest beside him. He heaved a few shaky breaths before allowing the gun to disappear back into the armiger.

He rolled over, facing Noctis. Since when were there two of him? ' _Need to… do something… Need to… get Noctis to safety…_ '. The beta reached into Noctis' pants pocket and grabbed his phone, tugging it out and in front of his face. He squinted, trying to make the contacts legible when all they looked like were blurred scribbles. Finally, he came upon Ignis' contact and clicked the button to call the other.

The line rang a few times before the other beta picked up, giving a soft. "Yes, Noctis?"

Prompto laid his head on the prince's chest, allowing his eyes to close. Just for a moment. Just to make the spinning stop. "Not… Noctis…" Words were becoming hard to get out, but he hoped he could relay the message before the darkness blotting his vision overtook him.

Ignis made a worried sound. "Prompto? Why do you have Noctis' phone? Everything alright?" He could hear Gladio asking questions in the background, but couldn't make out what the alpha was saying.

"Sabertusks… Noctis… Hurt… Come to… Hammerhead."

Prompto could hear Ignis give Gladiolus orders to bring a car around. "We're on our way. Where in Hammerhead are you?"

"Big… Rock…" Prompto faded out of consciousness then, unable to hold on. Noctis' phone fell from his hand as it went limp next to his side. Ignis was urgently ordering him to stay on the line, to stay awake, to stay strong, but none of it hit his ears.

The two of them laid there, unconscious, until help finally arrived.

…

Prompto awoke in a comfortable bed, his entire body hurting. His eyes snapped open, and he sat upright in the bed, franticly looking around him. Where was Noctis?

"Relax, my boy. You're at the palace, in Insomnia again. You're safe."

Prompto's eyes followed the sound of the voice and landed on none other than King Regis, himself. Prompto's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. The king was here. Next to his bed. He forced his mouth to work, his voice coming out a little higher pitched than he would like. "Where's Noctis?"

Regis smiled warmly from where he stood next to the bed. "He's just fine, Prompto. Resting in his own room." Prompto looked around, noticing the familiar style of the room around him and the bed he laid in. This was his room at the palace. The one he had only stayed in for one night. "He's still resting, healing prom his own wounds. Ignis and Gladiolus are by his side."

Prompto let out a relieved sigh and fell back to rest against the headboard. "That's good to hear."

"Mind telling me what happened?"

Prompto looked up at the king and worried his bottom lip. What would he even say? 'Sorry, I wanted to take a picture of your son and it caused us to almost be murdered and eaten by sild sabertusks! But don't worry, we only _almost_ died!'? He swallowed, and his throat felt tight. "Well, your Majesty… Noctis and I got out of the car to take a picture. It was my idea." He purposefully left out the fact that it was a picture of his son. The king didn't need to know that selfish detail. "On our way back the car, we were ambushed by a pack of sabertusks."

"How many were there?" The king inquired.

Prompto gave a half-shrug, shaking his head. "I'm not sure of the exact number, but probably… eight or so?"

Regis nodded, urging the boy to continue. "What next?"

"Well, we took them out. Killed every last one. Well, at least we thought we did. There was a bigger one, a flexitusk. I think it was their leader. It attacked Noctis from behind, sending him into the boulder and knocking him out cold."

"What happened after that?"

"Well, sir… I was really woozy and weak. I had been poisoned. Not sure if Noctis was as well. But the flexitusk was about to pounce on us from above, and I shot it and killed it. I could only call Ignis before losing consciousness…" Silence fell between the two and Regis only nodded, placing his hand along his jaw and looking at the beta thoughtfully. "…I'm really sorry, Your Majesty… Noctis got hurt… I couldn't protect him…"

Regis smiled down at the boy, lifting a hand to ruffle his blonde hair a bit. "Nonsense. My son is home. He's alive, and it's all thanks to you, Prompto. Just you." Prompto stared up at the king alpha with wide eyes. The king was praising him! "I was wrong about you, Prompto Argentum. And I apologize."

Prompto felt tear well up in his eyes and he wiped clumsily at his face. "Don't apologize! You did nothing wrong!"

"That may be so, but still. Please… forgive me." The king bowed to Prompto and the beta felt like his heart was going to stop. The king was _bowing_ to him! To _him_!

"Um. Thank you!" Prompto did his best to bow back, wincing as his bruised side pained him. The king merely gave him a find chuckle. "Um. If it's okay, before I return to Lestallum, could I maybe say goodbye to Noctis one final time? Just to see that he's really okay?"

"Before you leave?" Regis raised an amused eyebrow. Prompto furrowed his own in confusion. "You're a retainer now. You'll be seeing plenty of Noctis from here on out. Welcome to the family, my boy." He clapped a strong hand to Prompto's shoulder and the blonde smiled widely, unable to stop the tear of joy that streamed down his freckled cheeks.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Regis bowed again before taking his exit. "Don't thank me. You've earned it. I'll see you at the party tomorrow."

Prompto gripped the blankets in his fists, clutching them tightly, afraid to be torn out of this wonderful dream. "I'm a retainer now… I'm a retainer now!" He whispered happily to himself.

This was the start of his new life.


	15. Chapter 14

Noctis's eyes fluttered open slowly and he winced, closing them again. He let out a strained grunt. Everything hurt. Why did everything hurt? After a few moments he tried opening his eyes again and was met with the view of his bedroom, the mid-day sun shining down on him through his window and his two retainers by his side. Ignis stood off to the side of the bed, scribbling various things down in his planner. No doubt canceling Noctis' engagements for the rest of that day due to his injuries. Gladiolus was sitting on the edge of his bed, bracing his weight easily on one arm while the other held a well-worn romance novel close to his face. At the sound of Noctis' rousing, they both looked up and put everything down, giving their prince their full attention.

"Bout time you woke up. How you feelin'?" Gladiolus asked.

"Like hell… Like I just got thrown into a wall, actually…"

Memories of the fight with the sabertusks flooded him, then. He vividly remembered Prompto getting attacked. The two of them fighting various enemies. And then- nothing. Everything had gone black and the next thing he knew, he was back at the castle. Noctis sat up abruptly, franticly looking around for the man who was fighting alongside him. Where was Prompto? Why wasn't he in the room, too?

"Don't push yourself, Noctis. Your wounds are still healing. Let the curatives take effect." Ignis gently restrained the alpha with a hand to his chest, pushing him to lie back down on the bed. The beta shook his head when the prince made a move to push himself back up again.

Noctis' back ached, and he knew it was his body's response to the potion, furiously working towards healing the claw marks on his back until there was little left of the attack than feint scars. It would probably be a few more hours before he was fully healed. Until then, and strenuous movement would risk the wounds reopening and then he'd be back to square one.

"Where's Prompto?"

He received no response as the door to his room opened, his father walking in and closing it behind him. Ignis and Gladiolus bowed deeply, greeting the king, who gave them a fond nod before allowing himself to rest on the loveseat by his son's bed. Noctis' eyebrows raised slightly. It was rare that his father left the throne room during the day, what with all the things he had to do and oversee, especially to come to his son's bedroom. Any other time, Noctis would be pleasantly surprised. In this instance, however, Noctis could care less. The only thing on his mind was his friend.

"So, you've woken up, son? Good to see. I hear you've had quite the time in Hammerhead." Regis gave his son a fond smile, but Noct wasn't falling into it.

"Where's Prompto?" He asked again, more insistent. He glanced between the three men in his room, dread welling up in the pit of his stomach. Was Prompto dead? Noctis' mind raced a mile a minute, imagining every possible negative outcome he could think of.

Regis chuckled. "Calm down, Noctis. The boy is just fine. I was with him only moments ago. He's awake and alive and healing just fine, same as you." He watched as his son visibly relax and let out a long sigh of relief. "He told me all about your little fight with those sabertusks. That beta saved your life out there, Noctis."

Gladiolus grinned and pumped a fist victoriously in the air. "I knew that little squirt could do it!"

Ignis shook his head at the alpha's outburst, but smiled. "Indeed. We're glad to see that the two of you safe and sound, albeit a bit wounded. But those wounds should heal up just fine before tomorrow night's ball."

"You'll need to give the royal tailor Mr. Argentum's measurements if you'll be presenting him tomorrow. Retainer attire is not an easy thing to make. It will take a good deal of time, so be sure to get it to the tailor by sundown."

Noctis furrowed his brows in confusion before his entire face lit up, mouth slightly agape as the realization of what his father was implying washed over him. "You mean- Prompto can be my retainer?" His father smiled and nodded his agreeance and the alpha grinned from ear to ear. He did it! _They_ did it! Prompto could stay at the castle! Noctis could keep his friend!

"I'll be sure to get his measurements before the deadline, Your Majesty." Ignis smiled and scribbled a reminder in his planner.

"Gonna need to train _two_ brats now, Iggy. The little guy aint gonna know which silverware to use or how to dance without tripping over his partner and causing an accident." Gladio snickered when Ignis sighed at that new knowledge.

"You are correct… I will see to it as soon as possible."

"I'm sure he can learn that all in due time, Ignis. He's new to all of this, so I'll allow him a day or two to get accustomed to his new lifestyle. Until then, do give his body time to heal." And with that, Regis was grabbing his cane, hoisting himself up, and walking out of the prince's room. "I will be taking my leave now. Political matters to attend to, you see. Goodbye, son. I'll be seeing you at the party." Regis looked over his shoulder and gave hid son a stern, yet playful look, "And this time, do try not to run away like some ridiculous Cinderella…"

Noctis chuckled as "Will do.", and his father was gone.

…

Prompto watched the scratches on his arms slowly mending and healing over the hours. It was incredible to watch, the way his skin seemed to stitch up invisibly and the scratches faded altogether, the only traces of the injury being the dried blood that stained his skin. ' _Must be because of a potion_.', he figured.

A light rapping sounded from a few rooms away, at the door to his quarters. Maybe it was King Regis again?

"Come in!" The beta called, and he heard the door open and close. The three very distinct scents of Noctis, Ignis, and Gladiolus filled his senses and the blonde grinned from ear to ear, sitting up in his bed. The three of them circled him where he laid. "Hey, guys! Long time no see!"

Gladiolus laughed. "Good to have you back, squirt! Glad to see you didn't die."

Prompto smirked and gave the alpha a fist-bump. "I gave 'em hell, just like you told me to."

" _That's_ my beta!" The shield winked and Ingis rolled his eyes fondly.

"All joking aside, Prompto, we are very proud of you. Noctis could have easily died out there. You, as well. But you held out as best you could, killed your enemies, and had the sense to call for help. If you never called me, the two of you would have bled out or died from poisoning. You're strong, Prompto. And soon all of Insomnia will notice you for the hero you are."

Prompto looked down at his lap, a light blush forming across those freckled cheeks. "Ah, man. Don't say all of that! I'm not a hero!"

"You're _my_ hero, Prom." Noctis smiled and gave the man a friendly punch on the shoulder.

Prompto laughed. "Oh, I am? And what does a hero get as his reward?"

Noctis shrugged. "What do you want?"

The beta put a finger to his chin, tapping it in thought. "How about a fancy feast for dinner tonight? I'm starved!"

"You're always starved!" Gladio supplied, shaking his head and giving the blonde a look.

Prompto shrugged. "You got me there, Big Guy."

"I'll prepare anything you'd like, Prompto. But first, when you're healed enough, we need to get you to the royal tailor. Arrangements for your retainer attire are in order, if you are to look presentable for the ball tomorrow." Ignis cut into the laughter with his words of wisdom, hand on his hip and glasses being adjusted.

"Sounds good."

…

Ravus sat in his study, going over various decrees and propositions from the prior morning. The paperwork was stacked high. It would take all day and well into the night to thoroughly scan the documents and approve or deny them. Recently, with his mother's age, the Queen hadn't been able to handle the workload like she used to. Ravus could see the tiredness in her eyes every day. It took a lot to run a kingdom, especially one a beautiful and waterlocked as Altissia. There were many things to overlook. Trading agreements with surrounding nations for food and supplies, overseeing the taxes, creating new laws and vetoing the old ones, ensuring their militia stays up-to-date with the best armor and weapons, and trying to maintain peace between the other nations were just a few of the things he had taken over for Sylva.

It was the least he could do for his mother. She had raised him the best she could, without a fatherly presence, and had given him everything he needed to sculpt him into the successful man he was today. Eventually, when his mother would finally decide to retire and step down from her position on the throne, the alpha would take over. The more he did for her now, the more he would be prepared to take on in the future easily.

"How long will you be tonight, Ravus?" A sultry voice called from the door to his personal study and Ravus looked up, giving a fond smile to his mate as she walked in.

"Aranea, it's good to see you."

Aranea rolled her eyes and smirked. "Is it _really_ , though? You never seem to leave this room nowadays. I'm starting to believe you just don't want to hear me nag." The woman teased.

Ravus lifted his mechanical arm, silently beckoning her to place her hand into his own, and he placed a light kiss to the mating mark on her thin wrist. His own wrist held much the same mark. "Not at all. I love it when you tell me what to do. I mated a strong woman." His fond tone made her smirk fade and turn into a small smile. He nuzzled his nose to her wrist, taking in her scent of roses and freshly fallen winter snow and he let his eyes close, basking in the warmth of her.

"Damn right, you did."

Aranea Highwind had been the leader of a very successful ring of Daemon hunters before mating the Prince of Altissia. She was known far and wide. Nothing she ever faced left her with its life. Years ago, when Sylva heard that her and her gang of hunters were passing by, she had invited them over for a royal welcome. Aranea accepted, and as soon as Ravus saw her and scented her, he knew she was the one for him.

She was gorgeous. Side-swept silvery-brown hair that travelled just past her shoulder blades, bright grey eyes, a body that just wouldn't quit, and leather-clad armor that showed plenty of tantalizing skin. She wielded a large, powerful lance that had slain many a foe. Ravus had been drawn to her like the waves to the shore.

He had been surprised, in the least, to discover that she was an omega. Aranea was a walking contradiction. Her scent was grippingly sweet and inviting, her body language soft and sensual, the woman not even trying to reel her scent in from others. She wore it proudly, like a badge of honor. But the owner of that tempting smell was anything but complacent. If someone so much as tried to lay a finger on her without her permission, they'd receive the beating of their life. Though the omega looked like a respectable lady, her voice and demeaner was much like that of a cocky alpha. She held nothing back, whether it be her thoughts or her punches.

It had taken many years, but Ravus finally convinced her to court him. When they bonded, it was under _her_ terms, when _she_ was comfortable. When their teeth sunk into one another, it had been pure bliss. Now, they were happily mated. Aranea had left the daemon hunting behind her to be the commander of Altissia's militia. That way, she could be close to Ravus while still being able to fight. She was a hard woman to live with, for most. But Ravus adored her and would not have her any other way.

"Don't strain your body too much." The alpha tugged gently on his mate's wrist, bringing her down to sit on his lap. Aranea chuckled at his worry as his mechanical hand went to rest on her swollen belly. She was less than a month away from having twins.

"I'll do whatever I please and you know it." She joked and kissed his temple. "I'm not going easy on anyone just because of _these_ two."

"I know." He felt a kick to his palm and he smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm going to piss myself if these babies don't get off my bladder soon."

Ravus smirked, used to her brash way of speaking. He knew she was happy, even though she was complaining. "Glad to hear you're good." He sighed. "I'm going to be late again tonight, dear. I apologize. Have dinner and go to bed without me tonight."

"Like I need your permission?" She scoffed and stood up, bracing her back as she did so. "See ya."

Ravus picked up his pen and went back to his paperwork once more. Without looking up, he agreed, "You've never needed my permission." Aranea blew him a kiss and closed the door behind her on her way out.

Ravus only had a few moments of peace before another knock on the door met his ears.

Thinking maybe Aranea had returned for something, he didn't look up from his work, merely sounding off a, "Yes, dear?" A deep laugh was heard and the alpha grimaced.

" _Oh my_ , Prince Ravus. I didn't know you felt that way towards me. What ever would Lady Highwind think?" Ardyn Izunia waltzed into the study, his multiple layers of clothes fluttering around him and his golden eyes sparkling with a dark mischievousness.

Now, _there_ was another person who never held in his scent. Ardyn was a cocky and greedy alpha, holding himself with a sort of self-righteousness that was off-putting to pretty much all who met him. He let his scent roll off him in waves, wordlessly showing his status to the world, often silently enraging other alphas in the room and sometimes setting off omegas into a needy mess. Ardyn's alpha scent was brash, strong, and potent. Ravus disliked the man fondly.

"Ardyn." The prince greeted through grit teeth, the other alpha's scent burning his nostrils. "To what do I owe the _pleasure_ of this meeting?"

The chancellor sauntered up to the desk and took off his hat, bowing deeply in a very dramatic manner. "Why, I was just coming to discuss tomorrow's events in Insomnia."

"Ah, yes."

"What _are_ your instructions for me, for when we arrive?" Ardyn flipped his maroon hair and placed his hat back on.

"You are to escort my sister into the castle... Afterwards, you are to do anything you seem fit to… _interrupt_ … the event. Put a stop to this ridiculous courtship going on. Do whatever you must. Just don't get caught."

Ardyn gave a sly grin and there was a twinkle in his eye. " _Yes_ , Prince Ravus. I shall do my best to find any… _weaknesses_ … in Noctis' courtship." He bowed again and made his way out of the room. "I absolutely _can't wait_ to see how this will turn out…"

Ravus was left along once again. He hated the chancellor and his haughty attitude with a fiery passion. But he needed the man as a very useful pawn right now. He would not let his sister marry some Insomnian brat, if it was the last thing he did.

…

Noctis rubbed his stomach as he flopped down on his couch. The feast Ignis had made for Prompto's victory had been marvelous. Sabertusk steaks with scalloped potatoes and baby greens. A large, intricate cake finished off the meal, colorful and covered in plenty of cream and berries. They all had left the table twice as heavy as they had come in, the prince was sure.

Prompto flopped next to the prince in much the same manner, groaning softly. "I ate so much, I think I'm gonna pop!"

"Try not to! We just fitted you for your retainer uniform. It'd be a shame if you couldn't even wear it." The prince laughed and let his head fall back. "That food was amazing, though."

"Yeah… So… what should I expect tomorrow?"

Noctis shrugged. "A lot of people. Mainly rich people and important leaders of councilmen from various nations. Music, dancing, food, alcohol, annoying formal small talk. The usual as far as royal parties go."

"You make it sound so boring."

"When you've been through as many as I have, it gets boring real quick."

"So like… what are we gonna do at the party?"

"You can bet on not seeing Ignis. He's going to be wandering around all day, giving orders and making sure everything is going exactly as planned. He's also personally supervising the chefs and the food. He's very… particular. To a fault. Bet you 1,000 gil he won't even show his face at the actual party. He'll be too busy running everything from the sidelines."

Prompto laughed. "And Gladdy?"

The two boys shifted on the couch, mostly facing each other. Noctis placed his arm on the back of the couch and Prompto pulled his knees in, resting his feet on the cushions and smiling up at the alpha with glittering eyes at the picture Noctis was painting with his words.

"Oh, you'll be seeing a _lot_ of Gladio. He'll be talking to all the good-looking girls there, I'm _sure._ Telling old hunting stories or telling them how he got his scar. Guarantee you he's gonna be flexing his muscles and making everyone swoon."

They both laughed.

"And you?"

Noctis closed his mouth and frowned a bit. "Me, I'll probably be stuck talking to important people and acting like I actually give a shit about what they're saying. I'll also be with Luna. Will probably have to dance a bit. I hate dancing."

"You're a party pooper, Noct." Prompto frowned playfully, "What about me?"

"I don't know? I'm sure you'll find something to do."

Prompto nodded and stifled a yawn. He bid Noctis goodnight and went into his own chambers. Surely, tomorrow wouldn't be boring like Noctis had made it seem. He was sure he was going to have fun and everything would go wonderfully.

Right?


	16. Chapter 15

Luna gazed, transfixed, out the tinted window of the limo she sat in. The view of the high rocks and grassy plains just outside of Galdin Quay, through the Saulhend Pass and towards The Callaegh Steps was beautiful, much different than the view of the sea from her bedroom window. The roads were long and winding, the evening sun beautiful as it was slowly drifting lower, disappearing beyond the woodsy horizon, painting the sky in beautiful shades of pink and purple. Every so often, a heard of animals would be seen moving around the fields and she would smile.

Luna had grown up rather sheltered, with much thanks to her older brother. He was protective, and she rarely left the castle in Altissia. Ever since he lost his arm to that daemon, he had saw to it to keep her confined to their water-locked nation as often as possible. The unease between Altissia and Insomnia after their father had died didn't help, either. She had not seen any of these sights since she was a small child, a mere few years older than the little prince she played with. It warmed her heart and brought a tender smile to her face.

"You look absolutely _divine_ tonight, Princess Lunafreya. I'm sure you'll be turning _all_ the heads in Insomnia. That of the prince, especially…"

And just like that, her expression evened out to something unreadable as she turned her head to look at Ardyn, her escort for the evening. Why her brother chose the _chancellor_ to bring her tonight, she did not know. She would have been just fine on her own. It wasn't as if she hadn't ever gone through weapons training of her own, not that Ravus ever let her use her trident. But here they were, and she had to politely deal with his obnoxious presence.

"Why, thank you, Chancellor Ardyn."

The look she wore tonight was a much different one from that night at her own ball in Altissia. She had to look as elegant as possible, being in a foreign nation where heirs to other nations from all around would sure to be in attendance. This dress was a lovely sage green. Long, silky, flowing. The sleeves as sheer as could be, stopping at her elbows, with golden sylleblossoms and leaves dancing over her skin to give the illusion that they were just stuck to her skin, not attached to a sheer fabric in any way. The neckline was a gorgeous "V" shape that started just at the edges of her shoulders to fall just above her cleavage. A lovely gold belt wrapped around her natural waistline with the crest of Altissia as a buckle in the vert front. Her hair was mostly down, in a loose braid that travelled down one of her shoulders in the front. She was happy to be wearing color and not just plain white, as oracles usually do.

Her eyes swept over her 'date' for the evening and his outfit hurt her eyes. Always overly dressed, the man looked absolutely ridiculous this evening. He wore a long coat, dark grey with intricate details sewn in, that stretched down to the floor. The shoulders were layered with many different animal pelts, coming to fall to his waist in the back. Beneath the coat, he had a deep maroon vest that matched the color of his wavy hair perfectly. It buttoned down the front, over a ruffly, off-white long-sleeved dress shirt, the sleeves of which were even longer than his coat sleeves, to fall over his gloved hands. The collar of the shirt also came up to ruffle around his neck, wrapped in a tacky orange scarf. The same black fedora-styled hat sat atop his head, as he usually wore.

Lunafreya plastered on the fakest smile she could muster. "You look… _nice_ … as well, Chancellor."

Ardyn smiled widely and raised his wine glass, a silent toast. "Why, _thank you_ , Princess. I could only _hope_ to look _half_ as good as you tonight, my dear."

Lunafreya held in a snort and turned to look back out the window. "What will you do, Ardyn, once we arrive to the Citadel? Surely, you won't be by my side ever moment?"

The alpha took a sip of his wine and made a show of smacking his lips. "Well, Prince Ravus _did_ ask of me to keep my eye on you _fiercely_ …" He grinned at her reflection in the window, rolling her eyes and biting the inside of her cheek. "… _But_ … I do believe we can both agree that you are old enough and wise enough to care for yourself at a mere party." Luna perked up at that and turned to give him a quizzical look. "And I'm _sure_ you want alone time with your dearest Noctis. It would be _intrusive_ of me to be there whist you spend your time with him tonight."

"So… What you're saying is…"

" _What I'm saying_ , dear sweet Princess, is that what Ravus doesn't know won't hurt him. Who am I to get in the way of your fun tonight?"

Luna eyed the chancellor warily for a moment. It was strange. Ardyn never disobeyed her brother. Ravus must have other plans for the man beyond just accompanying her tonight. She nodded slowly. "Thank you very much, Chancellor. I appreciate you doing this for me." Her words were slow and calculating as she took in his wide grin towards her.

"You are most welcome, Princess." Ardyn raised his wine glass to his lips, downing the rest of his glass in one long gulp. He set the empty glass down and turned his own head to stare out his car window. "And _who knows_ …? Perhaps _I_ will also have quite a bit of fun tonight…"

Luna let out a deep breath and clasped her hands in her lap tightly. Something didn't feel right. She'd have to keep a close eye on him tonight.

…

"I look like- I dunno. Not… me?" Prompto gazed at himself in the full-body mirror, turning every which way and trying to smooth out any wrinkles he may have accidentally caused while putting on his uniform in the changing room of the royal tailor's quarter of the castle.

It fit snugly, black leather pants tucked into tall, black boots that reached his knees, gold buckles and laced adorning the length of them. He wore a fancy, embellished deep grey tank top covered by a buttoned up black coat with two rows of golden butting lining the front and thick, gold-embellished cuffs. Shoulder pads made his shoulders look wider, made him look less lanky than he really was. The coat had high collar that stayed standing and circled around the back of his neck. Around both of the arms of the coat was a golden band, the crest of Insomnia printed on it.

Prompto scrunched up his nose. "I look like some… Military soldier or something."

Gladio snickered from his seat. "Well, you kinda _are_ a form of soldier now, kid."

Prompto looked at the shield through the mirror and tipped his head to the side, eying his outfit once more with a new perspective. "Oh. Yeah. You're right." He smiled. "Well, in that case, I look pretty good!"

Ignis walked up alongside him and smoothed out his shoulders. "I'd say it suits you well. Does it feel good? Anything feel too loose or too tight? Too short or too long?"

Prompto considered it and shook his head. "Nope. Fits perfectly." He walked around the room in a few circles, to try out the shoes. They were a bit stiff, but only because they had never been worn. The beta was sure they'd feel more comfortable eventually.

The tailor smiled warmly from his own seat. "Some of my finest work, young man. Not just anyone can make an outfit like this in less than a day!"

Ignis nodded and shook the tailor's hand. "Thank you again for doing this on such short notice. We greatly appreciate it."

"It's no problem, Ignis. It's my pleasure to serve Regis and Noctis whenever they need me. Now go an enjoy the ball tonight."

"Will do!" Gladio stood up and went to his friends' sides. They all thanked the tailor and said their final goodbyes before exiting that wing of the castle.

…

A few hours went by, and before Prompto knew it the sky was dark and littered with thousands of glittering stars. He stared up at the night sky in awe from his balcony and then looked down to watch all of the limos come towards the castle, dropping off their guests, and driving away. He could barely make out what any of them looked like, but he could tell they all had on fine outfits and held themselves with the upmost elegance and properness. He sighed deeply and bit at picked as his nailbeds.

In a few minutes, he'd be meeting up with Noctis and Ignis and Gladiolus and they'd all take the elevator to the ballroom. He'd be announced as a retainer. Part of the royal family, basically. Noctis wanted his to be announced as they all entered, a pleasant surprise that would make its way to the news reporters outside and surely fill the headlines of all the newspapers and magazines in Insomnia. The prince had not selected another retainer since he was a child. It was sure to be big news and Prompto was sure to get lots of attention tonight.

Prompto tugged on the collar of his kingsglaive attire, suddenly feeling a little warm. He was getting nervous. He didn't know how he'd handle talking to a bunch of royals. He could barely _bow_ without tripping over himself, much less make sophisticated conversation with anyone. He didn't keep up with politics or the economy or anything relevant at all that he could think of.

"Deep breaths, Prompto… Remember what Gladio said… You're good enough." He closed his eyes and whispered it to himself over and over again until final he seemed like it was believable.

A knock sounded at his door. "Prom, you ready? It's time." The voice was distinctly Noctis and Prompto's heartbeat picked up a few paces at the sound. He tried to steel himself and went to open the door.

No one had seen the prince since last night. Noctis had a lot to do that morning, Ignis had said. Breakfast with his father, a fitting for his own outfit for the evening, one different than the identical ones Prompto and the other two retainers would wear. Probably something significantly more royal-looking. Meeting up with royal hair-stylists and make-up artists and such. Possibly going over who would be at the party so that he wouldn't look like an idiot when he couldn't remember their names or what nations they came from. Things of that nature.

So when Prompto opened the door and stepped out into the hall to meet his friend, he was barely able to form words.

Noctis gave him a small smile, one eyebrow raised and his hands on his hips. "What? What is it?"

"You look…" ' _Sexy_ ', the beta's mind supplied, and he felt even hotter under the collar suddenly. Instead of speaking his mind, he just let out a hoarse, high-pitched, "…dignified? For once?"

Noctis looked more amazing than Prompto could have imagined him ever looking. The alpha wore sleek black pants with a black shirt that was just as fancy. His black coat had a high collar that flopped a little with his movements. The shoulders were covered by gold and silver armor, straps falling around his chest to hold them in place. Gold chains hung loosely over his chest and his back, connecting the armor together. A cape floated gently behind him, ending just above his thighs and in an uneven swoop. His left knee also adorned some silver and gold armor, much like his father usual wears. Prompto wondered if it was a fashion thing or not. He had black dress shoes and his hand adorned a lovely black ring with a sparkling jewel in its center. A family heirloom, the beta was sure. He had seen the King wear it before.

Noctis scoffed. " _For once_? Hey, I can look dignified when I want to."

Did Noctis say something? Prompto wasn't sure. The scent of lavender and rain and _alpha_ was filling his lungs and it made him feel a little weak in the knees. Had Noctis always smelt this powerful? Was it getting hotter in here? Someone must have bumped up the heat by accident. Ignis should fix that.

"Looking sharp, Noct. You actually look like a prince, for once." Gladio's deep voice called from down the hall as he appeared from his own room and his words cut through the trance the blonde had found himself in. He shook his head and looked to where he and Ignis were walking towards them, this time dressed in the same outfits as Prompto wore.

"I must say, it is a _bit_ much for your everyday-wear, but perhaps you should wear this every once and a while. It is fine on you. Makes you look the part." Ignis chided in, adjusting his glasses with a small smile.

Noctis just crossed his hands over his chest and feigned annoyance. "Great. Now you guys are ganging up on me too? Gee, _thanks_." The tree men chuckled and all Prompto could do was just stare, wordlessly. His clothes felt a little too tight, now. Maybe he had miraculously gained weight in the past few hours.

Noctis looked to the beta and raised another eyebrow. "Hey. Earth to Prompto! You feeling alright?"

Prompto swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to summon his words. "Uh- yeah! Good as ever! Just- nervous? I guess."

The prince placed a hand on the beta's shoulder. "Well, don't be. Everyone's gonna love you, Prom. I promise."

Oh, Gods, Noctis shouldn't have used the word "love", because now Prompto's heart was beating even faster and his eyes were watching Noctis' lips intensely with every word. Memories of how hot and soft and perfect they felt against his own flashed through his head and he had to pinch his thigh, hard, to stop his body's need to close the gap between them. What the hell was with him tonight?

"Yeah. Sure." Prompto faked his usual aloofness.

The prince smiled at him briefly and then they made their way to the elevator. Gladio pressed the button for the floor they'd need to go on and the doors closed.

…

Ardyn walked through the throngs of people, barely touching any one of them as his body weaved through the bodies. His eyes roamed around the ballroom. He had been there for nearly an hour now, and he was bored out of his Six-damned mind. He had left Lunafreya to herself some time ago and was hoping to have run into the prince by now. Of course, as fate would have it, Noctis was fashionably late.

He took another sip of his wine and leaned against a wall, scanning the room once more. The palace was extravagant, he had to admit. A little on the modern side, unlike Altissia, but still rather tasteful. He wondered what secrets it held. What weaknesses. What discoveries.

All at once, the large doors leading into the ballroom opened and all background noise died down simultaneously. Ardyn's gaze, as well of that of the other guests, flicked over to see none other than Noctis and- "Oh, _my_! _Three_ retainers?" The chancellor grinned into his glass as he tipped it back once more.

" **Prince Noctis Lucius Caelum, and his** _ **three**_ **retainers- Gladiolus Amicitia, Ignis Scientia, and Prompto Argentum.** " The man next to the door bellowed out loud enough to be heard through the entire room and everyone erupted into cheering and chatter. The crowd parted as the prince and his entourage strolled through, to the center of the ballroom.

The alpha watched them walk by. The prince was in front, all smiles and confidence. The other three walked a few steps behind him, not trailing too close or far. Ignis was on his right, Gladiolus on his left, and the new _Prompto_ in the middle, right behind Noctis. His golden eyes locked onto the blonde immediately, taking him in.

' _About the same age and height as the prince. Blonde hair in a rather chocobo-like fashion..._ ' Ardyn briefly wondered if that was on purpose. ' _Doesn't know what to do with his hands. Small, faltering steps. Eyes can't stay in one place. Nervous biting on lips. Can't possibly be noble. Argentum isn't any name I'm familiar with…_ ' He smirked in amusement as he looked the boy over a few times. "Now, why ever would the prince make some commoner boy his retainer…? And after so many years of nothing…?" He asked to himself.

If there was any weakness the prince had, Ardyn was sure this boy was it. The blonde practically screamed weakness in the way he carried himself and nervously glanced around. Perhaps he was some fling on the side? Some warm body to keep the prince's bed warm until he could mate Lunafreya? While not unheard of, it _would_ be scandalous. Perhaps he had a title thrown at him just to keep him around? The boy certainly didn't seem like a fighter or protector of any kind.

The group of friends chatted briefly and Lunafreya also joined them for a while and then they all dispersed, leaving the blonde alone. The alpha smiled, evilly. Oh, yes. He would keep his eye on this one tonight. There was something about this boy that the prince was surely hiding…

Ardyn downed his glass of wine and placed it on the tray of a roaming server before walking further into the crowd where he would not be seen. He would bide his time, for now.

…

Lunafreya smiled as she made her way towards her betrothed and his retainers. "Noctis. It's good to see you again." Noctis' eyes widened for a moment, realizing she was there, and he held out his arm. She took it, graciously, and moved to stand next to him. He placed a light kiss to her cheek and she giggled. "My, what a gentleman you are tonight, Noctis."

Noctis gave a little half-shrug. "Making up for how awful I was at our last meeting, I suppose. Is it working?" He asked.

She smiled. "It's a start."

They both laughed, and her eyes roamed behind them, to Prompto. Her heart tightened in her chest at the sight of him. He was every bit the way he looked in her visions. Now she knew the name that would go with the face. On the outside, she stayed regal and calm. On the inside, she was fighting back tears. It was almost too much to see the man who would take Noctis away from her in person.

Prompto met her gaze and looked around frantically before seemingly realizing what he should do. He bowed, and when he straightened back up, he put on a smile. "My Lady.", he greeted in a voice that she could tell was full of nervous tension and a tad bit unsure of himself.

She smiled, all the same. "It's nice to meet you, Prompto Argentum." She gave a little bow of her own. "I didn't know that Noctis had picked a third retainer."

"I wanted to surprise everyone with it tonight. Prom's been working really hard to be one of my retainers." Noctis said, giving Prompto a smile.

"Well, I'm happy to have one more person protecting Noctis' life with his own. It warms my heart in a way you'll never know, Sir Argentum."

Prompto blushed furiously. "Please- just Prompto is fine, My Lady. No need to add the 'sir' part."

Luna nodded. "In that case, call me Luna."

Prompto's eyes grew wide and he looked around again before nodding. "Yes… Luna!"

Gladio laughed heartily and slapped Prompto's back. "Gods, Prom. You're more nervous than anyone I've ever seen in my life! Calm down a bit, will you?" He took a glass of champagne off a tray and shoved it in the beta's hands. "Here. Drink this. It'll loosen you up."

Prompto stared down at the liquid and swished it around in the glass. "What is it?"

"Champagne.", Ignis supplied, taking the drink from his hand and downing it in one go. He made a face soon after, and placed the glass back into Prompto's hands. Noctis balked at his advisor. Ignis merely brushed him off with a wave of the hand. "And _bad_ champagne, at that. I _told_ them to serve the best stuff." He huffed. "I apologize, My Lady, but I must see to the kitchen staff. I have much to complain about." Ignis gave Lunafreya a deep bow before walking away.

Gladio smirked. "That's Ignis for you. Always gotta go fix something that don't need fixing…" He gave Prompto a pat on the shoulder and bowed to Luna as well. "If you'd excuse me, My Lady." And with that, Gladiolus was gone as well.

Prompto frowned at the shield's back as he walked away. What the hell? Why was he being left alone with Noctis and his future mate? The beta glanced in her direction. She was gorgeous. Of _course_ she was. And Noctis looked perfect. ' _They make a very nice couple_.', he thought begrudgingly. He saw the way Noctis looked at her, absolute fondness in his eyes, and it made him want to puke. Suddenly, h wished he had an excuse to leave.

As if an answered prayer, Noctis turned to him and said, "I'm going to dance with Luna for a bit."

Prompto raised his brows. "Oh. Okay."

Luna smiled at him. "Only for a moment. I would like you to save a dance for me as well, if you would be so kind, Prompto."

That caught him off guard and he looked away, blushing slightly. "Uh- yeah! Of course!" He didn't know how to dance at all. It would be a disaster.

The two of them gave him a wave goodbye and they went to join the group of guests dancing not too far away.

…

He should have pretended to be sick. He should have come up with an excuse to miss this party.

Shortly after Luna stole Noctis away, Prompto had made his way through the crowd of people to the other side of the room, against a wall where he would hopefully not be bothered. He had picked up a glass of champagne and sipped it here and there as he stared at the two of them dancing. Noctis and Luna looked so… _right_ together. So happy and carefree. His gut twisted in guilt as well as jealousy. He had almost been selfish enough to destroy that. To tear Noctis away from his future mate. No matter what Prompto thought personally, Noctis belonged with her.

The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. Or perhaps it was the drink. He didn't know, and he didn't care. He took a large swig, finishing it up and grabbing another.

The song ended, and Prompto watched Noctis and Luna smile and chat with one another for a while. Then he saw them look around the room before excusing themselves inconspicuously. Where they were going, Prompto didn't know. They left hand-in-hand, and suddenly Prompto didn't _want_ to know. He finished the next glass and turned his gaze to where Gladiolus was, chatting it up with some beautiful women in a corner animatedly. He grimaced and grabbed another glass.

He felt hot under his clothes. Stuffy. Itchy. ' _Seriously, why hadn't Ignis gotten that fixed?_ ', he thought to himself. Unfortunately, people came up to him throughout the night and tried talking to him every once in a while. Some asked him to dance, even. He muddled his way through the small talk and politely turned down the invitations. Mostly, he wanted to be left alone.

He grabbed another glass and began making his way towards the kitchens, where Ignis was sure to be. He needed to be around someone who wasn't fawning over someone. When he pushed himself off of the wall and began walking, the world was spinning a bit and his head felt light. The heat of the palace was still unbearable, but Ignis would hear about that soon enough.

…

Noctis was fucked. He was absolutely, indisputably, irreversibly fucked.

When Prompto had opened the door to meet Noctis, he was so _handsome_. So put-together and sharp and just- _amazing_. And his smell was like coming home and it made Noctis want to pull him close and nuzzle into him. Acting normal around him then was one of the hardest things he had ever done. His heart had raced at the mere sight of him in that damned kingsglaive attire. And to have him so close, looking like _that_ , and yet not being able to touch him as he wanted was driving Noctis absolutely _insane_.

When Luna approached them, he was happy to see her. But he could feel the shift in their relationship, at least on his part, in the way he felt about her. She was gorgeous. Even more so than the last time he had seen her, when he had wanted her so _badly_. But other than the fact that she looked pretty and that it was nice to see her and have her around, there was… nothing. No feelings. No want. No lust of any sort.

He kissed her cheek purely because he didn't know how to act around her anymore and he thought that was something he should do. But then he remembered Prompto was nearby, that he had seen it, and his stomach dropped. Prompto didn't want Noctis to leave Luna. He knew this. But they both knew damned well that they liked each other, and that little act of affection probably hurt him. Noctis had mentally punched himself in the face for being to dumb. But Luna _was_ his future mate. It wasn't like he could just- _not_ give her a kiss on the cheek.

It was all very frustrating.

He and Luna danced, and his body was there, hell, he was even _talking_ to her. But his mind was far, far away. When he looked into the blue of her eyes, it reminded him of Prompto's. When their hands met in the dance, he could only think of how he had tried to hold Prompto's hand the morning after their indiscretion. When his hand made contact with the small of her back during their dance, he was vividly remembering how Prompto's skin had felt beneath his fingers, hot and soft. Her alpha scent filled his senses and he wished he was smelling Prompto instead. It got so bad, he almost called her 'Prompto' as they made conversation.

"Noctis?"

Wait. What were they talking about? Had she asked him a question? He didn't remember. "Yeah?"

"You called me Prompto."

Oh. Fuck. He didn't imagine that. That actually happened. Fuck. Noctis' eyes grew wide and he stared at her for a moment, unsure of what to say. The song ended, and they stilled. To his absolute shock, Luna just smiled and laughed.

"Could we, maybe, go somewhere and talk? Just for a moment. There's a lot I wish to tell you."

Noctis cleared his throat and nodded. Everyone was looking at them, and he plastered on the best smile he could, given the circumstances. He knew of a place close by where they could be alone. He took her by the hand and led her down a few corridors, into a decent sized music room. Once inside, with the door closed, Luna let go of his hand and walked towards a piano, brushing off the dust on it's chair and sitting down. She looked at Noctis, her smile long gone.

"You know… I love you, Noctis." Her voice sounded broken, almost silent, but he picked up the words just fine in the silence of the room, the white noise of the party blocked out by the music room's thick walls.

His lungs stopped working as a single tear began rolling down her cheek.

Fuck.

…

"Where the hell… is the kitchen… again?" Prompto's breathing was ragged. He felt utterly exhausted, like he had run a marathon. His legs shook with every step, and once he was about half-way down the hall he was in, he had to brace himself against the wall as he felt his knees begin to buckle. The half-empty champagne glass fell to the floor, forgotten, and shattered. "Shit. I'm drunk."

It was hot. So, unbearably hot. The room was spinning, and the wall felt so cold beneath his hands, it almost hurt. How much had he had to drink? How many glasses? He was pretty positive that he was absolutely shit-faced at this point. He could feel his entire body pulsing. He made a move to undo the buttons of his coat, but there were too many. His hands shook, and he couldn't make them work well enough to do what he wanted them too. "Argh!" He whined in frustration and placed his hands back on the wall, giving up.

Steps. The distinct sound of steps. He looked behind him, and for the briefest moment, he though he saw Ignis out of the corner of his eye. "Ignis. I don't feel so good… I think I'm drunk.", he called, but there was no answer. Just the sound of steps getting louder. A heavy scent hit his nose and his entire body shivered. It smelled like plum and mint and _alpha_ and he didn't know why, but a moan tore from his throat. It took everything he had to keep standing.

" _My, my_ … How terribly _brave_ of you, Sir Prompto…" The voice is unfamiliar to his ears. Definitely not Ignis. Prompto turned his head to watch a man walk around to stand next to him. Tall, slight scruff on his face, wavy maroon hair, too many layers on. It made Prompto feel even hotter just thinking about how the man wasn't absolutely _dying_ under all of that. "…An unclaimed omega, going into heat in the middle of a _ball_ , filled with _so many_ other unclaimed alphas and betas...?" The man grinned at him devilishly and Prompto furrowed his brows, confused. Omega? Prompto wasn't an omega. He was just drunk. There was certainly a difference. Prompto had never been drunk before, but he was pretty certain of it. The alpha continued, "…And just _look_ at you! All needy, craving an alpha's touch… I could oblige you, you know."

Prompto stared at the man, confusion and slight annoyance evident on his features. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not an omega. I'm just looking for my friend, Ignis. He should be here somewhere, he- "

Another strong wall of Ardyn's scent hit him like a ton of bricks and Prompto could feel his mind becoming fuzzy. He gripped the wall, nails biting into the surface harshly so as not to let himself fall. Something about this man wasn't right. He willed his legs to move, to get away, to continue his search for Ignis, but he only got a few steps before Ardyn blocked his way, pinning Prompto against the wall, the cold surface against his back making him jump.

"Dude. What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm merely going to help you out, _dear Prompto_." Prompto hated how the man said his name, but it also sent a full-body shiver running through him. How was that possible? One of the alpha's hands came to his neck. Not choking him, merely holding him in place, helping him not to fall. The skin his hands touched burned like fire on Prompto's skin and he moaned involuntarily. "You're letting out your pheromones _so strongly_ , I wouldn't be surprised in the alphas a _mile_ away could smell you, boy…"

Pheromones? What pheromones? Prompto wondered if this man was drunk as well, going delirious. He brought his hands up to push the maroon-haired man away from him, but they shook, weak, and just rested there, gripping the stranger's coat. Why couldn't he fight? What wasn't his body working? If this was what it was like being drunk, Prompto would be sure never to drink again.

Ardyn smiled wickedly down at Prompto, who could only gaze up at him through half-lidded eyes. "Better claim you before someone _interferes_ , eh? It's what you'll be _begging_ for, soon enough…" Prompto didn't have time to think or process what he meant by 'claim' before the man's lips were on his own, tasting him hungrily.

Ardyn tasted like wine. Prompto was weak to the way his tongue brushed against his own as the man devoured his mouth, slowly and deliberately coaxing Prompto to relax against him. Prompto trembled, and gripped the man's coat tighter, fearing his legs would turn to jelly and give out beneath him. Ardyn smirked into the kiss and rubbed his thumb over the blonde's jaw, making the boy moan.

What was going on? Was this real life? Was this truly happening? Prompto knew in the back of his head, _somewhere_ , that this shouldn't feel good. That it shouldn't feel right. That he didn't know anything about this guy, didn't even know his name. But he couldn't connect with that part of his brain. His conscious couldn't reach his physical self. All he could do was _feel_. Ardyn was undoing the buttons of Prompto's coat and all he could thing was ' _Finally!_ ', because, _Gods_ , it was so unbearably hot in the palace tonight. When Ardyn's hand pushed the coat off his shoulders and onto the floor, Prompto mewled happily. Yes, that was much better.

Ardyn pulled away and Prompto was surprised to hear himself _whine_ from the lack of contact. "You smell so good, _my pet_ …" The alpha crooned and his hands began roaming up Prompto's fancy tank top, and he gripped his shoulders, arching into the contact. The man brushed his fingers down Prompto's sides, dragging his nails harshly along the skin, and Prompto cried out. Their eyes met and Prompto was both turned on and terrified of the look in his eyes.

The terror brought some clarity to his muddled brain, and the blonde wriggled from his grasp, moving down the hallway a bit. "Wait… This is wrong… We can't be doing this..."

Ardyn chuckled and walked slowly next to the panting Prompto, who was still clutching the wall, pulling himself along it, in an attempt to put distance between them. "And why, _pray tell_ , should we not?" He brushed the back of his hand down the length of Prompto through his jeans and the boy moaned, falling to his knees. "When your reactions are _this_ good, why stop?"

Prompto sat against the wall, chest heaving, legs shaking, cock aching within his pants. When had he gotten so _hard_? Another pulse of Ardyn's alpha scent rushed through him and his own hand dipped down to caress himself through the cloth. He bit his bottom lip hard, holding in another cry of pleasure. Hell, now that it had been brought up, he couldn't ignore it. He _needed_ relief, needed it soon. Prompto tried to unbutton his pants with trembling hands, but it was no good. His fingers still wouldn't work. His entire body was hot and pulsing and trembling and he wanted to _cry_ with how needy he was.

Ardyn's hands were there, pulling him back up to his feet and pinning his wrists above his head and undoing his pants with another. " _Here_ … Let me help you with that…" The man chuckled against his ear and nipped at the shell before taking Prompto's cock in his hand. Prompto let out a hiss of relief at the contact and unconsciously bucked into the hand that was pleasuring him. The alpha stroked him in long, slow, firm pumps of his hand and Prompto was writhing, coming undone with every movement of the hand on him. With all his wriggling, his pants fell loosely around his thighs and a pungent scent filled his nose. Something he had never smelled before.

Ardyn growled and nipped harshly at Prompto's neck, and it caused Prompto to yelp in fear and arousal at the sound. "That's a good omega… You're so _wet_ for your alpha…"

Wet? Couldn't be. Prompto was a beta. Male betas didn't self-lubricate.

Without warning, Ardyn turned him around, shoving his face into the wall firmly with his hand at the back of Prompto's neck. Prompto's eyes widened as he felt the other hand glide down his back, over his ass, to trace the tight ring of muscle around his entrance. Ardyn moaned low in his throat, pushing one of his fingers into Prompto unexpectedly.

His finger went in so easily. How had that happened? It didn't hurt, it glided in with no resistance, and another was joining it soon after, stretching him and loosening him up. Prompto could feel a distinct wetness dribbling down his thighs and he froze. What was going on? Why was he so wet? He glanced at Ardyn from the side of his eye, and the look of pure lust and deviousness in his gaze had him squirming, trying with everything he had to get away.

Clarity was coming to him fast, hitting him hard.

This wasn't Noctis.

"Get off me!" He growled at the man, who was only holding his neck tighter.

"Stop squirming, _pet_. You'll have me soon enough…"

Anger filled Prompto and h grit his teeth. "I'm not your fucking _pet_ , now let me go!"

Ardyn laughed and added a third finger, searching for that sensitive bundle of nerves inside of Prompto that would have him writhing beneath him again.

He was stopped in his tracks as a shimmer of blue appeared from below, and instantly the cool metal of Prompto's pistol was pressed firmly against his ribs. Ardyn chuckled darkly. "You think you're going to _shoot_ me..?"

Prompto said nothing, only leveled him with the best glare he could muster in the state he was in. "Damn right, I'm going to shoot you if you don't back the _fuck_ off. Right. Now." Prompto pushed the gun further into Ardyn's ribs.

…

Ignis was in the middle of placing the finishing touches on a fresh tray of appetizers when the smell hit him. The pungent, unmistakable, sweet scent of slick. Though unaffected, it still caused concerns. Where was it coming from? One of the castle staff? He fixed his glasses and dropped what he was holding, following the source of the smell. He exited the kitchen and wandered down a hall, before he even turned the corner, the smell of honeysuckle and peaches and slick and alpha hit him. When he turned the corner, he froze.

Prompto was pressed harshly against the wall, pants around his thighs, with a gun pointed at the alpha. Prompto was shaking so bad, Ignis could see it from here. Ignis took in a deep breath, steeling himself.

"Just what the fuck is going on here, Chancellor Izunia?!" Ignis demanded, stepping closer.

Upon seeing Ignis, Ardyn scowled. "Back off, _boy._ This is _my_ omega. I found him, and he was practically _begging_ for it."

Prompto spat at the man. "Fuck you."

"Omega…?" Ignis eyed the alpha warily as he stepped closer, but the closer he got, the more it all was piecing together. The smell of slick was coming from _Prompto_. He could see the fluid coating his thighs and ass, and Prompto was thoroughly flushed, breath ragged. It made no sense how Prompto was an omega, but everything else was becoming clearer. "You're assaulting a member of Prince Noctis' kingsglaive, Chancellor. If I were you, I'd flee Insomnia before The King hears about this."

The alpha glared at Ignis and stepped begrudgingly away from Prompto, before throwing his hands up in defense and giving a slimy smile. "No harm done, Ignis. I didn't take him yet, didn't even mark him."

Prompto fired a round that landed in the wall next to Ardyn's head, a mere few inches away from his skull. Both men looked at Prompto with shock. The blonde sunk down the wall, back to the floor, tense, his gaze not leaving his attacker. "Let that be a warning to you. If I see your face here again, I'm not going to miss." Prompto wanted to puke at the smile the chancellor gave him. "Now. Get the fuck out. I'm not going to ask you again."

Ardyn bowed and walked out, then. His scent leaving with him.

Prompto let his weapon disappear and He buried his face in his hands, sobbing. Ignis flew to his side, covering him up with his discarded coat. "Prompto… What happened?"


	17. Chapter 16

"You know… I love you, Noctis." Her voice sounded broken, almost silent, but he picked up the words just fine in the silence of the room, the white noise of the party blocked out by the music room's thick walls. His lungs stopped working as a single tear began rolling down her cheek. Noctis went to Luna's side immediately, gently placing an arm around her shoulder and taking one of her small hands in his own.

"Luna- hey. What's wrong?" His heart was pounding in his chest. How could he make her cry? She was so happy a moment ago, how could he have changed it all so fast? He'd never seen Luna cry, not in his entire childhood. Actually, _he_ had been quite the crybaby growing up and _she_ had been the one to wipe away his tears. Seeing Lunafreya like this felt… wrong. So, so wrong, and guilt was beginning to crush his chest in it's unrelenting grip.

The Oracle looked down and shook her head, not being able to look into the prince's eyes, unsure of where to start, how to even _say_ the things she needed to say. "Noctis…", she began, quietly, slowly, "…Do you remember what you asked me in Altissia…?" She waited for him to respond, but when it was evident that he probably didn't remember, she pushed on. "…You had asked me… if I often receive visions of our future, from the Gods..."

Noctis swallowed. His tongue felt too think and heavy. He _did_ remember that, now. "Yes… I remember that. You said you'd tell me later, when the time was right..." She looked at him, then. Her hand squeezed his, and he gave a little squeeze back, to comfort her. Her eyes were a stormy, dark sea of emotions Noctis couldn't even begin to sort through, too many years-worth of holding in her own feelings in favor of following her fate. It was too much. He wanted that smile back. _Needed_ it back. "…What, are you going to say our kids are going to be ugly or something?" Noctis joked, awfully, and his nervous chuckle was met with a crushing, awkward silence. He cleared his throat and sat up a little straighter. "Um... That was a bad joke… Sorry."

Luna sighed. She appreciated the alpha's attempt at lightening the mood. Any other time, she probably would have been laughing along with him, lacing their fingers together and delivering a gentle kiss to his temple. Now, though, was not the time. She couldn't continue the charade that was their relationship. She had to bring Noctis up to speed, to tell him the truth about his future. Lunafreya took a slow, steadying breath. "Noctis, I _did_ see visions of your future… But… It wasn't _my_ future as well…"

Noctis cocked his head, a bit confused. "So… Does that mean you can't see yourself in your visions? …Do the Gods leave you out of them?"

Luna gave him a small, sad smile and shook her head. ' _Gods bless this dumb prince_.' "No, Noctis… I wasn't in them because… I'm not a part of your future." She watched as the prince tried to grasp the information, tried to make sense of it, before his eyebrows shot up and his mouth fell open and he gave her a comprehending look. At last, it seemed he understood what she was attempting to gently tell him. "…Not in a romantic sense, anyways… I'll always be a part of your future, Noctis. Just… not as your mate."

"Oh…" Noctis bit his lip and let her hand go, unsure of what to do with himself. This was so sudden, so out of nowhere. Fresh tears made wet streaks down Lunafreya's face at the sight of her friend, and the absence of the warmth of his hand, and Noctis felt even more awful. He was sure that they were meant to be together, at one point. He was sure that meeting Prompto on that fateful day was what sent everything into a rapid change, turned everything upside down. Lunafreya would have been happy, but he had gone and fucked it all up, got feelings for his blonde, beta friend. Fell in love with those eyes, that smile, that laugh, that body, that personality, everything about him. Fell so hard, there was no competition, not even the best friend he had known longer than anyone else in his life. That was something _he_ had done.

"Noctis." She turned to face him more directly, and she cupped his face in her hands. "I _love_ you. With all my heart. I've loved you since we were _children_ , and I was _so_ happy to hear that our parents worked for us to eventually mate. But…" She looked away and Noctis' heart felt like it was being ripped out of him slowly. "…We both know I'm not the one your heart yearns for…"

"Luna, I…" He started, but his words failed him. Noctis couldn't figure out what to say in his defense, what _selfish_ defense it was. Nothing seemed like a good enough excuse for what he had done, how his feelings had changed, how he had broken her heart and made her openly cry in front of him. "…I don't know what to say…", he finished, lamely, staring down at his lap.

"I don't want you to apologize to me, Noctis." Their eyes met again, and he placed a hand over one of hers, on his cheek. "As much as I wanted us to be together, I do not own you, and I do not own your heart. It is subject to change, and that's just part of growing up, I suppose…It's a part of fate." She gave him a small smile, and Noctis looked at her incredulously. How could he not apologize? He took the future she had painted for herself, _for them_ , and tore I to pieces.

"I know you don't want me to, but… I'm still sorry. _So_ , _so_ sorry, Luna…" He wiped a tear from her eye as a few fell from his own. He could realize, now, how Prompto must have felt, all alone in his room, the night after they had shared their first romantic embrace. How tore up he must have felt, how guilt-ridden and confused. Noctis clenched his jaw and bowed his head. The fact that he, himself, had not done the same was probably the worst part of all. That he had felt no remorse until only _now_ , for what that had done, for what they had set in motion, until his wrongdoings were staring him in the face.

This time it was Lunafreya's turn to wipe the tears from Noctis' eyes. She pressed her forehead to his. "I forgive you, Noctis. I forgive you."

They stayed like that for a few long, silent minutes. Noctis' breathing evened out. He thought about what Lunafreya had said earlier, about how she _had_ known that they wouldn't be together. Why hadn't she told him? Why had she treated him just the same? Had wanted him to mark her, bond them, even knowing that? He had to know. "But… If you knew we weren't going to end up together, why-?" Words failed him again, this time from embarrassment. "-In the bathroom, in Altissia..."

Luna's cheeks flushed and she stood up, hands clasped behind her back as she stepped away from him, choosing to give her attention to the various instruments that sat, neglected, in the corner. She felt ashamed in her reasoning. It would probably sound childish and so unlike what Noctis knew her to be. What _everyone_ knew her to be. Finally, she offered, "Trying to change fate, I suppose…" The oracle let out a strained laugh. "Should have known it would be for naught... I thought, quite selfishly, that it was the perfect opportunity to steal you away, make you mine before… _he_ could meet you…" She turned and offered him a sad smile. "It is _I_ who must apologize to _you_ , Noct… Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me…?"

Noctis saw the way she bit at her lips and stood there tensely, awaiting his response, and he moved swiftly to her once again, pulling the princess into a tight hug. "Of _course_ I can forgive you, Luna. Is that even a _question_? You've always been one of my best friends… I'd never hate you. Not for anything." He smiled softly and felt her relax into him, hugging him with just as much strength. After a few moments, they pulled apart. "What do I say to my dad, though? To your mother? How do we call this whole thing off, now that we've already announced it?" Noctis mused.

Luna sighed. "I'm not sure… For now, we'll just have to go along with this until we can think of something." Noctis nodded, but didn't seem convinced. Luna didn't know, herself, how they would get out of this either. But the Gods had their plans and their ways. Luna was sure that some form of relief would come. Above all else, even her own feelings, she wished to see Noctis happy with the one he loved. That sweet, happy-go-lucky beta she came to know intimately through her visions. After a beat of silence, she smiled, adding, "He's a wonderful person, you know… Prompto Argentum."

Noctis flushed sheepishly and looked away, bringing a hand up to rub the back of his neck. He didn't expect her to say that then. "Um. Yeah. He really is." He agreed, letting out a soft laugh. "He, um... He told me we should just be friends, though... He didn't want to hurt you- M-much to my, um… disappointment." He thought back to how adamant the beta had been about keeping their distance. Thinking that all of that could be undone now, though, sent a tickle of hope through his heart.

"He sounds like a kind man. I'd love to have a sit and chat with him, if time permits... I'd love to give him my blessing. You know, so the two of you won't have to hold back anymore…" Luna blushed and fidgeted where she stood before going still again. "…It still hurts, you know… I don't know when it'll stop, but…" She took a deep, calming breath, trying to ignore the small flinch that went through Noctis. "…I hold no ill will towards the two of you. Truly. More than anything, I just want to see the two of you happy… Especially you, Noctis."

Noctis smiled and took her hand in his. "Thank you, Luna… And… I hope you find someone who makes you just as happy as Prompto makes me." Luna smiled and nodded, wiping her eyes clean and trying her best to make herself look presentable. Noctis laughed and helped her, cleaning the black smears of her mascara and holding her compact for her as she applied more. After all, what was a best friend for?

Afterwards, they went back into the ballroom and continued their dancing, playing the part of a happy couple. Only this time, they shared smiles and laughs at their little secret. Noctis felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. He was far from free. There would be a stern, important conversation with his father in his near future, and possibly some very harsh words from Ignis and a few punches to the face from Gladiolus, but he was free. Free to love Prompto like he wanted to. He couldn't wait until the end of the party.

…

"Prompto… What happened?"

Prompto could barely register Ignis' voice in his ears. His body burned, his mouth and tongue were on fire. His cock ached and twitched under the coat the advisor had thrown over his body, still half-way undressed and indecently exposed. Sobs racked him and all he could do was clutch the coat tightly. Ignis was close to him. Too close. He could smell Ignis' scent and, though not as potent as Ardyn's had been, it still sent waves of pure need through his body.

Ignis went to help Prompto up, but as soon as his gloved hands touched the blonde's shoulders, the once-beta let out a needy moan and Ignis retracted, as if burned. He started slightly, looking the boy up and down. The sweet smell of slick with a musky tinge of arousal drifted heavily in the air. "Prompto, you're in heat! When did this happen? Why didn't you _tell_ us? Why didn't you- "

Prompto growled, and the sound surprised Ignis almost as much as the incredulous scene before him. Still, he remained by Prompto's side, unwavering. "Why does everyone keep _saying_ that? First that _chancellor_ guy, now _you_?" The blonde scoffed and gave Ignis a weak glare, too hazed over by desire to fully portray anything truly angry, much to the blonde's distaste. "I'm not an omega. I'm a beta, remember? You've _seen_ me, Ignis. You've been around me all this time!"

The advisor thought deeply on it and shook his head. He was a smart man, and Gladiolus was no fool either. If Prompto had been a fully-bloomed omega, the two of them would have scented it, would have known in an instant after meeting the boy. Everyone usually started presenting at the age of fifteen or sixteen. In some cases, perhaps even as late as seventeen. But people presenting later in their life, _wasn't_ unheard of, and neither was presenting earlier. After all, the prince himself presented a few years earlier than normal, at thirteen. It was clear to Ignis, at least, that Prompto was obviously a late bloomer, and because of this, Prompto had not realized that he was an omega this entire time. It all could have been shown to him by a simple blood test, but since Prompto had no home and not a lot of money to his name, he most likely had not undergone that option, choosing to stay blissfully ignorant. Yes, Ignis could paint the picture clearly. What Ignis could not figure out, however, was how _Prompto_ couldn't see what was happening to him, what he had become. How he thought all of this was caused simply by drinking too much alcohol. "Prompto, you're merely a late bloomer. You've unknowingly been an omega all this time! Your body was just late in presenting itself. You are an omega, and you're in heat. You're in danger, and we need to get you out of here, before someone else who isn't a beta or an omega, smells you…"

Ignis tried to speak in a strong, yet soothing manner, one that the omega would hopefully find comforting, but the freckled boy merely shook his head furiously and clutched his kingsglaive jacket tighter. "Ignis, that's insane! Look, I'm just _drunk_. I'll be better by tomorrow. I sear."

Ignis furrowed his brows. "I'm afraid your heat will last three days, Prompto… Tomorrow will hold nothing different. But, if you allow me to take you to your room, where you'll be safe, I could go into town and fetch you some suppressants. Perhaps it's early enough in your heat that the medicine will be able to take effect and lessen your body's cravings…" Prompto, naturally, and in his heated state, couldn't smell how enticing he was, couldn't control the pheromones rolling off him, calling out for a mate. The pheromones were strong already, eve this early in Prompto's heat. Ignis was a beta, but even _he_ was feeling a little tingly due to it. The situation was bad, and if the advisor didn't move fast, it would only get worse.

"You're crazy, Iggy…" Prompto whispered, but sweat was beading on his brow and his breathing was coming out as soft pants.

Ignis swallowed hard and steeled himself before he picked Prompto up, ignoring the boy's gasps and whines at his sudden, unexpected touch. The omega struggled at first, kicking and trying to shove the bespectacled man away, but his strength was dwindling fast in the presence of a suitable mate, and the blonde soon found himself pressing himself into Ignis as much as he could, trying to wrap himself in the advisor's warmth. Prompto wrapped his arms around Ignis' neck, nuzzling into his shoulder and breathing in his scent deeply.

Ignis could feel Prompto's slick beneath his fingers as he gripped his legs and carried him bridal-style. His own neglected member twitched in his pants. Getting Prompto to his room would be a struggle, but one he'd have to bare alone. Getting Gladio and Noctis involved with this was not an option. They'd go absolutely insane once they smelled the omega, he was sure, and once that happens it would be out of his hands entirely. He would not be able to do anything to hold them back. Still, he wouldn't be able to protect Prompto alone. He would need the shield's help, as a bodyguard. Somewhere far enough away from Prompto that he would not be tempted, but in a place where no one could get past him and into Prompto's room. Particularly, to keep the prince away. Marking someone who was not Lunafreya would be detrimental to the kingdom and the merging of the two alpha's nations.

"Ignis… _want_ …" Prompto whispered and whined into Ignis' shoulder and began placing little kisses to the beta's clothed shoulders. Ignis tensed and began making his way towards Prompto's quarters as fast as he could. He had to get Prompto safe, alone, before anyone could take advantage of him, including himself.

…

Gladiolus' phone buzzed and rang in his pocket. He didn't have to look at the screen to know who it was, the special ringtone alone being an indicator, but he pulled it out regardless and briefly glanced at the name on the screen. ' _Ignis_.' He grimaced before sending the advisor to voicemail, and placed the phone back into his pocket with a smile. "Now, where were we?" He had been slowly chatting up and seducing a lovely kingsglaive beta half the night, and he was sure he was going to end up taking her to his bed. The shield wasn't about to let stick-in-the-mud-Ignis cockblock him now, of all times. He hadn't gotten laid in _weeks_ , thanks to his workload of tasks his father and King Regis had given him lately. This woman, in particular, was very attractive, and with a wonderfully sarcastic, playful personality that was just Gladio's thing.

Crowe Altius raised an eyebrow and smirked, crossing her arms over her chest. "You were bragging about something. Though, honestly, I wasn't paying attention…"

Gladio clutched his chest and made a mocked wounded expression. "Oh, wow. And here I thought I was actually _entertaining_ you tonight…"

The woman smirked and ran a hand up his chest to snake around the back of his neck, playing with the loose strands of his dark hair, and pulling him closer. "I can think of _another_ , more _effective_ way to entertain me…" She whispered the enticing suggestion, so only he could hear her amongst the sea of party guests.

Gladio grinned, liking where the conversation was finally going. "Oh, _yeah_? And what would _that_ be…?" Crowe opened her mouth to reply, but before she could say anything, the familiar jingle of Gladiolus' ringtone for Ignis sounded in his pocket again. The shield let out a frustrated huff and he shot his company an apologetic look. "Sorry. It's Ignis. Must be important. Excuse me for just a sec?" He walked away from Crowe and answered the phone with a frustrated, whispered, " _What is it, Iggy_? This better be _important_. I am _this_ close to-"

Ignis' stern voice cut through the alpha's hushed words, cutting the man off abruptly. "Oh, shut up, you big brute! I don't have time for this right now! We have a rather- _Prompto, stop touching me there. Remember- personal space! -_ a rather large problem on our hands!"

Gladio perked up, giving all his attention to the beta on the other line. "Wait. Prompto's with you? Personal space? What's goin' on, Specs?"

He heard his friend give a frustrated sigh before saying, "Yes, Prompto's with me. _He's_ the aforementioned problem. We're in his room right now. I had to- _Prompto, dear Six, my pants are going to stay firmly on, thank you! Stop trying to- No! Hands off! –_ I had to bring him up here. He's- "

Gladio snickered. "Damn, Specs! Sounds to me like you and the squirt are in the middle of a private moment! You call me just to brag or something? Because I'll have you know, I've got myself quite the catch over here, and we're actually about to- "

"NO, GLADIOLUS! DAMN IT, LISTEN TO ME!" That got the alpha's attention, and he stood straighter as he heard muffled moans and whimpers in the background on Ignis' line. Ignis was having a hard time keeping Prompto's hands off him, and having one hand on his phone while doing so wasn't helping in the least bit. After a few seconds, the advisor's voice came back, slightly labored with his struggles. "Prompto is in heat. He's been an omega this entire time, and didn't know. Late bloomer, as it turns out."

"What the _fuck_?!" Gladiolus bellowed out, a little louder than he would have liked, and shot Crowe an apologetic look. His face heated slightly when he realized he had drawn the attention of a few people around him, and they began to whisper. The alpha turned back to his phone. "Ignis, what the _fuck_?! Hell, is he okay?" The man's voice turned stern. "You're not taking advantage of him, are you?"

He heard the beta scoff. "Don't be absurd. He's hardly my type. But he _was_ almost taken advantage of earlier. Would have been mated, had I not interfered. I took him to his room to keep him safe."

"Who's the motherfucker that tried?!" Gladiolus growled low in his throat, already scanning the room for suspicious-looking people. Anyone who threatened his friends was not welcome anywhere near the castle, or _Insomnia,_ as far as he was concerned.

"The chancellor of Altissia."

"ARDYN IZUNIA?! That _fucking_ -! When I get my hands on him, I'm gonna-!"

"Calm _down_ , Gladiolus! Prompto and I took care of him. The boy damned near blew the man's head off. You would have been proud of him. But, that aside, I need your help."

Gladio nodded. "Of course. What do you need?"

"You need to distract Noctis. Keep him at the party, if you can. Give me enough time to go into town and buy some suppressants. Some birth control, as well. Then you'll need to guard his room from the outside. Don't let anyone in. We can't have him taken advantage of like this."

"Got it." Gladio's eyes roamed the party and finally found the prince, chatting and pulling off an interested look that even Ignis would have been proud of as he talked to other representatives of neighboring nations. Lunafreya was at his side. No signs of that damned chancellor, though. "I see Noctis now. I'll give him things to do, don't worry. I'll keep him occupied. You just go ahead and get what you got to."

"Thanks, Gladiolus. I'll be back as soon as I can."

There were a few more muffled sounds of struggling and moaning before the call ended and Gladio sighed heavily, placing his phone back into his pocket. He turned and walked back to Crowe, an apologetic look on his face. "I'm sorry, doll. Duty calls. Gonna have to take a rain check."

The woman merely smiled devilishly and patted the man on the chest. "Don't sweat it. You know where to find me, when you're ready for it." She gave him a wink before leaving him to talk to some other kingsglaive.

Gladio frowned. Cockblocked again by the infamous Ignis. But, it was for a good cause this time, he supposed.

He thought about how Prompto was alone in his room, probably writhing and begging for an alpha to fill him up and claim him, and he visibly shivered. His own rut was a mere few days away, and the thought of just taking the elevator to the blonde's room and taking him was overly tempting. But he had to stay strong. He wasn't going to be like that damned _chancellor_. He wasn't some feral animal, acting on every impulse and need. He would control this. Noctis, on the other hand, clearly already had strong feelings for the freckled boy. He wouldn't be able to control himself as easily, just like with Lunafreya.

The shield made his way towards Noctis with a newfound vigor. If the prince got to the omega, everything would be over. He wasn't about to let that happen.

…

"Prompto. I'm going to leave you now."

Prompto reached forward from where he sat on his bed, clutching the back of Ignis' shirt as the beta attempted to stand. "Don't leave me, Iggy…!" He whimpered, and Ignis merely sighed, taking the omega's hands in his own and detaching them from his shirt gently.

"I have to. I'm going to get you some medicine. It'll make you feel better, I promise."

"I want _you_ to make me feel better." The blonde gazed up at the fellow retainer with hooded eyes, panting and flushed, sitting on the edge of the bed on his hands and knees. He was already naked, the clothes had been discarded as soon as he entered the room, against Ignis' protests. The blonde's neglected cock was leaking a little stream of precum onto the blankets. He looked absolutely delectable, and Ignis immediately shoved that thought in a box and kicked it across the floor.

He gave the blonde a regretful look and caressed his hair. Prompto mewled and leaned into the touch. "That's the _heat_ talking, Prompto. I'm not going to hold you tonight. You're going to have to ride this out on your own. I'll be back soon though, I promise. Then I can watch over you and check on you every so often."

Prompto nodded reluctantly, letting Ignis walk out of his reach. "… _Promise_ you'll come back soon?"

"I promise." Those were the last words spoken, and Prompto watched as the man disappeared, leaving him all alone.

Prompto whined, feeling too hot and too cold all at once. He missed the advisor's warmth, even though his own threatened to burn him up from the inside out. He felt like the God Ilfrit himself threw a Fira on him. Taking off all his clothes had done him no good, as he would have hoped. It only left him embarrassingly and arousingly open to the prince's advisor. But, despite his tries, the man was having none of what Prompto was trying to sell him, and it frustrated the omega to no end.

He couldn't help himself from taking his dick into his hand, giving himself a few firm, long strokes. His head rolled back, eyes closed, and mouth agape and he began pleasuring himself. Ever since that alpha in the hallway had touched him, he had been _maddeningly_ hard. Even if the guy _had_ been a complete asshole and was clearly taking advantage of him, remembering the things he had done to him made a deep pool of lust form in his gut. He wanted hands on him, wanted another's mouth devouring his own, _needed_ to be filled by someone. It was all that he could think of.

Maybe the advisor _was_ right. Maybe he wasn't drunk, but he was actually in a _heat_. It made a lot more sense to him now, than simply being a little tipsy.

Prompto continued stroking his cock, and he sat up a bit, shifting all his weight onto his legs, and he slowly brought his other hand to venture towards his entrance, his fingers sliding over the wetness that had gathered and was spread between his cheeks.

Oh yes, that was undoubtedly slick, and it was something he wasn't used to feeling back there.

He moaned as he allowed a finger to slip inside of himself, remembering what it had felt like to be opened and stretched. It felt even hotter and wetter inside of him, and the thought that he was ready to take someone's dick completely, and without resistance, made his shudder. He added a second finger, needing something more. Needing that filled sensation his body was craving. His shallow thrusts combined with the languid stroking of his cock was altogether too much and not enough at the same time. He couldn't reach that part of him inside that would send him over the edge.

He gave up on his backside, pulling his fingers out and instead wrapping his other hand around himself as well, applying a rolling pressure to the head. Prompto came hard, then, crying out loudly as he did so. He fell backwards onto the bed, chest heaving and hands wet with his cum, sweat covering his body and hair matted to his forehead. He was surprised to see that his dick had not gone down in the least bit afterwards. The arousal was still there, just as strongly as before he had gotten off.

At once, he thought that this was how Noctis must have felt in his rut.

 _Noctis._

Now, _that_ was an idea. A horrible, terrible idea that made him perk up and his dick twitch with interest. Noctis would be _very_ capable of pleasuring him, he was sure. Prompto didn't pay the worries or thoughts of the consequences any attention as he pulled himself out of bed with shaky limbs and made his way to his front door.

He opened it and peered his head out, looking up and down the hallway for any signs of people, but there were none.

Perfect.

Slowly, he made his way to the prince's bedroom, opening the door quietly and shutting it behind himself.

…

Noctis was happier than ever to see his shield come over to him. The council members and representatives were asking him really hard questions about things like taxes and refugees and the economy. He wished, in that moment, that he had payed more attention to Ignis during his lessons. But somehow, he had remembered enough to at least allow himself to make an educated comment or two, hoping that to sound like he knew what he was talking about. From the looks of the others, he seemed to be doing well enough. But with Gladio here, he was sure to be able to escape from the situation.

"Hey, Gladio." He called, waving his friend over closer. Gladio looked oddly tense. Maybe a girl rejected him or something. Even so, the shield seemed to visibly relax as he stood next to his prince, on the opposite side of Luna.

"What are we talking about over here?" Gladio asked, giving the guests a warm grin.

"Well, we just got onto the subject of substance regulation within the walls." Noctis leaned a little closer to his shield, and discreetly whispered, "Help me…", eyeing him with the most desperate look the man had ever seen his prince give.

It made it all the more hilarious when Gladio merely patted Noctis on the shoulder and replied, "Oh, yeah? What about it, Noct?" Noctis tensed and barely hid the look of ' _What the fuck?!_ ' that formed onto his features. What the hell. Lunafreya giggled quietly next to him, and Gladio turned to face her, taking it one step further. "Lunafreya, would you do me the absolute pleasure of joining me on the dance floor?", he asked, holding out a hand, which she took graciously.

"I'd be delighted." Luna smiled and allowed herself to be led away by the alpha.

Noctis' eyes widened as he watched the two of them leave. ' _What the fuck just happened_?' His eyes darted around the room wildly. Maybe Ignis was around to whisper ideas and pointers in his ear? Nope. Prompto, to come up with some ridiculous excuse to leave? Nowhere to be found. He was forced to stay and indulge the men in boring political talk he knew barely anything about.

The rest of the night went much the same. Once one conversation was over, Noctis would do his best to come up with excuses to leave, and then almost immediately get swept up in another group of people who wished to discuss business with him a few seconds later. Any time his and Gladiolus' eyes met, the shield would merely smirk and give him a thumbs-up. It was incredibly frustrating. Luna had also left him for the remainder of the night, finding pleasant conversation with a kingsglaive Gladio had introduced her to, by the name of Nix Ulric. She barely gave him a second glance after that, and there was still not a single sign of his advisor _or_ his newest retainer throughout the rest of the evening.

Finally, the party had come to a close and the guests were beginning to leave one by one. Noctis finally met up with Lunafreya and Gladio. He had to see her off, back to Altissia. Ardyn Izunia decided to show himself in that moment, after not being seen throughout most of the event. Noctis didn't think anything of it, being quite happy to have not needed to talk to him that night. But he didn't miss the way Gladio tensed, clenching his jaw and fisting his hands at his sides, seemingly holding himself back from delivering a blow to the man. Noctis would ask later, but for now didn't give it much thought. Maybe the chancellor had made some off-hand comment to him earlier about the way he looked or something. Gladio was easy to rile up sometimes.

"Goodbye, Luna." Noctis called as the female alpha gracefully entered the back of the limo, behind Ardyn. "See you soon?"

The girl smiled. "Hopefully. I'll keep in touch." After a beat, she added, "We'll figure this out."

Noctis nodded. "Yeah. We will."

The door to the limo was closed and Noctis watched as it disappeared into the bustling streets of the city. He turned to Gladio, then, punching the man on the shoulder with only a little actual force. "What the fuck, man? What was up with you tonight?"

Gladio shrugged, feigning innocence. "Dunno what you mean, kid."

Noctis let out a frustrated grumble, and the turned to walk back into the Citadel. It was well into the night now. Almost two in the morning. The party had gone on longer than he expected it to. "Where the hell was Ignis and Prompto, anyways?"

Gladio bit the inside of his cheek. "You know Iggy. Always running around and fixing things. I'm sure he's around somewhere… Uh.. I think Prom got sick. Went to be early, I think."

Noctis raised an eyebrow. "Sick? Really?"

Gladio gave a stiff nod. "Yeah. Told Iggy not to let anyone on his room. I think it's contagious."

"Huh…" Noctis thought about that for a bit. It seemed like Gladio wasn't giving hi the whole truth of things, but he knew pressing the issue would get him nowhere. It never did, with Gladio. They got into the elevator that would lead to their wing of the castle and rode it in silence.

Noctis walked to his door and stood there with his hand on the handle as he watched Gladio walk towards his own room, but stopped right in front of Prompto's door and just kinda… stand there.

"Whatcha doin?"

Gladio started, but quickly recovered himself. "Uh, Iggy wanted me to wait for him out here for a bit. Said he wanted to talk about something."

Noctis still wasn't convinced. "…Ok, yeah… Sure… Night, big guy."

"Yeah, night."

With one final glance at his shield, Noctis opened his door and went inside, before being hit with the most sickeningly sweet musky scent or pure arousal he'd ever smelt in his life. The force of it took his breath away and his dick harden almost instantly. He caught the faint scent of peaches and honeysuckle beneath it and his eyes instantly scanned the room, seeking out his friend.

Noctis didn't have to look for long at all, and he was almost floored with the sight in front of him. Prompto was completely naked, laying on one of his couches and pleasuring himself as he held one of Noctis' shirts in his other hand, inhaling deeply and moaning. At the sound of Noctis coming in, Prompto's eyes locked with his prince and he came instantly, spurts of cum falling over his own stomach and Noctis' shirt.

"Prompto, what- "

Prompto let the shirt fall from his hands to the floor and levelled Noctis with a glossed-over look of pure bliss and need. The omega's hand lifted, reaching for Noctis. "Noct… _Please_ …"

Noctis stood there, unable to comprehend that this was real life and that this was actually happening. But Prompto licked his lips and laid his other hand over his abdomen, smearing his own cum on his stomach, and Noctis felt himself moving, drawn to his friend helplessly.


	18. Chapter 17

Prompto let the shirt fall carelessly from his hands to the floor, not being satisfied with a substitute now that the real Noctis had walked through the door. The prince's scent entangled itself with the omega's and the smell felt so familiar, so _right_. He could see the confused look on the alpha's face, and thought nothing of it. Not through the thick haze that his heat had him in. He couldn't be concerned at all with the fact that he was completely naked, cum all over himself. All he could do was feel, and what he felt now was desire. A need to be filled and mated so great, a heat so intense, not even Shiva herself could extinguish.

At long last, finally, _Noctis_.

The omega's hand lifted, reaching for his desired alpha. "Noct… _Please_ …" He pleaded, the words so soft, needy, and breathy it sounded so unlike himself to his own ears.

He watched Noctis move towards him, as if hypnotized, the movement swift and immediate, and Prompto's toes curled as he let out a satisfied sigh in response to how eager Noctis seemed to be at wanting to be by his side. He could smell the arousal on his friend, noticed the uncomfortable tent in his pants, the darkened eyes, the pupils of his eyes dilated with his lust. It reminded Prompto of how the prince was when he had first met him, on the night of his rut, and Prompto wanted for all the world to be dominated by him, to lose all control. Once at his side, Noctis tentatively took the hand Prompto was reaching out to him with and laced their fingers together. Prompto watched as Noctis' eyes roamed his naked body, taking in everything there was to see, and it made a shiver run down the blonde's spine.

Noctis had a plethora of questions. This was his Prompto, but yet it wasn't his Prompto. The person before him now was clearly an omega, the musky, sweet smell of slick prominent in the air and the wetness between his legs being an obvious indicator. But why would he have lied? Why would he have hidden this from him? And what was the point of saying he wanted them to just be friends if he was going to end up seducing Noctis anyways? It was all so confusing , and he would want answered, but not now. Not when the scent of peaches and honeysuckle and unabashed arousal was filling his head and making all of the blood rush straight to his cock.

" _Gods_ , Prompto... You smell so _good_..." Noctis groaned at the mere sight of him and Prompto brought their joined hands together to deliver an open-mouthed kiss to the back of his alpha's hand. Noctis' breath hitched at the feel of it and Prompto's eyes darted up to meet his, the gaze deep, dark, and unwavering, and for a moment, the world seemed to just _stop_. They were trapped in that moment, the entire world abandoned. It was just the two of them, eyes telling each other everything their mouths couldn't. How much they wanted each other, how much they _had_ been wanting each other, how much they wished to join their bodies and souls, a bond to last eternity. It was all there, unspoken.

Though it lasted only a second, time suddenly began to start again when Prompto licked his lips, the alpha's gave catching it, and demanded, "Strip." Noctis didn't need to be told twice. He stood up, reluctantly detaching his hand from Prompto's in order to better take off his various layers of clothing.

He began with the armor on his shoulders, undoing the straps that held them in place, and letting the equipment fall heavily to the floor with a loud thud that rang in both their ears, but they didn't so much as flinched at the sound. Next came the thick coat, which was shucked off easily enough, the gold chains clinking against each other as the cloth fell to the floor. He bent over to remove the bit of armor at his knee, and when he was rid of it straightened to stand again, he was surprised as well as aroused to see Prompto watching his every move, touching himself with a newfound vigor. Noctis moaned, his pants feeling entirely too tight. He _needed_ to be free of them, _needed_ to feel Prompto's skin against his own, _needed_ to be the one causing him pleasure, to be the name that fell from the blonde's lips once he reached his climax over and over again. The prince's trembling fingers made quick work at undoing the buttons on his shirt, pulling it off of him as if it were a snake that had bit him. He kicked off his shoes, not caring where they rolled off to, pulled off his socks, and unbuckled his belt and his pants, pulling them down along with his boxers in one swift movement. And after what had felt like forever, Noctis was finally fully unclothed.

He stared down at Prompto, painfully erect, his dick bobbing between his legs with his movements, precum already collecting at the tip. He wanted to lunge at Prompto, cover his writhing body with his own, pin him down, crash his lips upon the blonde's and shove his dick inside of him, but he waited. His entire body _screamed_ in protest, but he waited, too afraid that his actions would scare away the blonde before him somehow. That Prompto would suddenly change his mind and decide that this was all too much. That this moment would end abruptly, leaving their relationship in the state it was before now. And after the mixed signals the blonde had been giving him, it was very well likely to happen. He couldn't be entirely sure that this was what Prompto actually wanted, that maybe it was just the lust talking. The incredible, _obscene_ amount of lust. Never in his wildest dreams did Noctis think Prompto could ever be like this. There was something happening to the blonde, he was sure. Something taking over his body, some primal craving. But Noctis was never one to think too hard, especially when his crush was naked on his couch and demanding things of him. So, he left the thought go unanswered and awaited eagerly for what might come next.

Prompto sat up a bit, shifting his weight onto one elbow, and motioned with his head for Noctis to come closer as his other hand stroked lazily at his own cock. Pleasure was slowly building inside of him again, even after cumming so many times at his own touch already. Nothing ever seemed like enough though, even after all these hours. His dick had not gone down once, had not yet felt satisfied, and his backside pulsed and practically _ached_ with the need for someone to fill him, to mate him, and just the sight of Noctis was riling him up more than it ever had before. He was a slave to pleasure, body quivering with anticipation at being so near to a suitable alpha that could mark him.

With bated breath, Noctis complied, stepping close enough to Prompto that the blonde could rest his hand on his hip, the contact eliciting fire beneath the prince's skin. Prompto held him there firmly with his hand, rubbing soothing circles into the skin with the pad of his thumb, looking up at him through thick lashes and blown out eyes. He was so beautiful. Noctis wanted to say something to him, then. Wanted to tell the omega everything he was feeling, how much he adored and wanted the man, but any words he would have mustered up died immediately on his lips as Prompto suddenly took him into his mouth.

Noctis cried out in both in surprise as well as pleasure, his hands moving to grasp at the blonde's messy hair, tangling in it. His head lolled forward, eyes scrunching closed as the omega took the head into his mouth, closing his soft lips around it and sucking gently, lavishing the slit at the tip with long swipes of his tongue. Prompto's mouth was hot and wet, and it retracted with a lewd pop before moving to the side of the prince's dick, placing open-mouthed kisses along the shaft until reaching the base. Prompto's hand tightened on himself, the lazy strokes quickly becoming firm and desperate with his actions.

Noctis tasted slightly salty with sweat, bitter from the precum, and also like the soap he had used that day. It was an odd taste on Prompto's tongue, but a decidedly good one, and he savored it, taking his time as he licked a long swipe along the underside of the alpha's dick, from base to tip. He heard the deep moan that tore from Noctis' throat as he took him into his mouth again, tongue flattening and throat relaxing to take him in as far as he could go, and Prompto hummed in response, looking up at the alpha and smirking around the cock in his mouth. Noctis was looking down on him, his brows furrowed and mouth open, face flushed and eyes dark and trained absolutely to him, to his every movement, and it was exciting. Noctis felt the hum vibrate through Prompto's throat around his member and he bit his lip, hard, fists pulling sharply on the omega's hair. How was Prompto even good at this? Maybe it was and omega instinct or something. Prompto pulled off almost completely to suck once more at the tip, and then descended again, taking Noctis into his throat once more and swallowing, eliciting another moan from the man. He couldn't get enough of the sound. It was like music to his ears.

Noctis gasped, clutching his friend's head for dear life as Prompto continued to bob, suck, and lick, until he could barely catch his breath from the treatment. It was coming out shallow, uneven, and ragged. Never in his _life_ had he felt this much pleasure, the intense wetness and heat of a mouth on his cock, and his orgasm was quickly building, despite wanting it to last forever. Noctis tugged again at Prompto's hair with one hand, another moving to clutch at the blonde's shoulder, trying desperately without words to let him know what was coming soon. But Prompto wasn't letting up. Not on the prince _or_ himself. The omega's hand on Noctis' hip gripped more firmly, holding Noctis into place as the prince's hips began to buck uncontrollably.

"Prom- ", Noctis gasped out between sputtered breaths, and it was all that could be said or done before his orgasm hit him hard, his legs trembling with the force of it, and his hands clutching Prompto's desperately as hot spurts of cum shot down the omega's throat. Prompto groaned around Noctis' dick, swallowing and lapping up every drop gratefully as the prince rode out his orgasm. The omega's own orgasm hit soon after, cum spilling over Prompto's hand. Noctis' dick fell from Prompto's mouth and the blonde licked his lips, swollen from sucking. He finally let go of the prince's hip, his hand dropping to rest beside him on the couch, and his head fell back to the cushions.

Prompto hair was a complete mess and he was trembling from his most recent orgasm, feeling overstimulated and yet not stimulated enough all at once. He had cum splattered all over him and his ass was soaking wet with all the slick that had been gathering, and he should have felt disgusted. He should have felt gross, but all it felt was _right,_ the only bad thought at all being that the cum on his body was his and not Noctis'. So when he looked up at Noctis, staring down at him with a rekindled desire, he could only bite his lip and groan when the words, "I want you, Prom." met his ears, husky and deeper than normal, and laced with a desire only for him.

He licked his lips and smirked. "Then come and take me, Noct."

 **...**

Ignis gripped the steering wheel as he sped down the road as fast as possible, only obeying the speed limits most of the time, when he felt like there would be no form of law enforcement that would pull him over. Of course, he worked for the crown, so there was nothing any police officer could do to him, but the act of getting pulled over and having to show his identification would only hinder and lengthen his quest in finding the suppressants and birth control Prompto needed in a timely manner. And _Gods_ , was it taking a long time. He had already tried over half the pharmacies in Insomnia, but due to the late hour in which Prompto's heat had started, the thought had not occurred to him that most of them would be closed.

"You would think that in a nation called _Insomnia_ , there would be more places open at this time of night..." The advisor grunted lamely to himself at he turned the regalia into the parking lot of what would probably be the twentieth pharmacy of the night. Luckily, though, this one seemed to be open.

He dashed out of the car, not bothering to shut the engine off, leaving the keys in the ignition and the motor humming softly in the background. Crime in the nation was very low, so worrying about the vehicle getting stolen was of little concern. He walked into the establishment and looked around. Only one employee was present, standing behind the register and flipping through a magazine, barely paying Ignis any attention at all.

"Welcome..." The man drawled out, not bothering to glance up from the pages. He sounded for all the world to be bored out of his mind, but still could not be bothered to give any sort of satisfactory customer service to counteract it. "If you need help finding anything, just ask."

Ignis nodded, though he knew the man would not see, and went straight to the aisle meant specifically for omegas. The aisle was located in the back left of the store. They usually were, because of the adult items that sat upon most of the shelves, not suitable to just have in the very front for all to see. The beta walked down the aisle slowly, eyes scanning over each item thoroughly. Dildos, butt plugs, vibrators, cock rings, various other sex toys that the advisor dare not contemplate, absorbent pads to prevent slick from soaking through underwear - now that would actually be helpful, but not quite what was needed in this particular instance -, pain pills for preheat cramps, reasonably-priced, albeit not of the best quality, blankets and pillows to use as nesting material in a pinch- ah! There they were.

Ignis eyed the various brands, but decidedly picked up a box at random. All of the labels and instructions basically said the same things, so he figured the brand hardly mattered. He decided to get one that had "Extra Strength!" written in bold, red lettering along the front. That one seemed very efficient. Prompto's heat was _certainly_ a strong one pheromone-wise. His eyes roamed further still, and he finally came to the birth control at the very end of the aisle. Again, there were many types. Some that you inject into the muscle of your thigh, some as pills you take daily, a foam you inject and acts as a spermicide, some pills you take only directly afterwards, usually in cases of emergency, but also used by people who couldn't be bothered to keep up with their cycles and just wanted an easy-out. Ignis frowned, not knowing Prompto well enough to know which he would prefer, so he just took one box of each and made his way to the front counter with swift movements.

This time, the attendant at the register gave the advisor his full, albeit bored, attention. After all, you need your eyes and hands to ring customers up, and it would hardly be possible whilst being nose-deep in some celebrity gossip. The cashier took the items placed in front of him and began swiping them along the scanner with robotic motions of someone who was well used to it. Ignis didn't miss the way the man leered at him during, reading each box and giving the beta a sickening grin. The man began openly sniffing the air, trying to find out what secondary sex the bespectacled man was.

"You expecting a heat or something...? Don't smell like an omega to me, but maybe that's the suppressants doing their thing... You _did_ get the extra strength one after all..."

"Not that it's any of your business, but it isn't for me. It's for a friend, and that's all I wish to tell you on the matter..." He didn't miss the slight disappointment in the man's eyes at the explanation. Probably some cocky alpha or beta trying to get laid. Ignis grimaced as he adjusted his glasses at the thought. No, he certainly wouldn't fall into bed with _that_ one unless the only other option was death, and even _then_ he would be quite hesitant. He cleared his throat and continued, "...Now, kindly finish this up. I have places to be. Time is of the essence."

The man shrugged, seeming once again to be bored and uninterested in the beta, and for that Ignis was thankful. The cashier finished up scanning the items and looked at the total on the screen of his register. "Total is 2,500 gil. Would that be cash or credit?"

"Credit, if you would."

"...Credit it is..." The man allowed Ignis to scan his card before placing his desired items in a plastic bag and shoving it across the counter unceremoniously. "Come again.", he drawled, and immediately went back to his magazine.

Ignis nodded, thanked the man under his breath, and took his items back to the car in a renewed hurry. Once seated, he buckled up and steered the regalia back in the direction of the Citadel. Just as he did so, his phone buzzed and rang in his pocket. The beta took it out and glanced at the name that flashed across the screen. ' _Ah. Gladiolus._ ' He answered it, putting in on speaker so that it would be safer to drive. The _last_ thing he needed was a car crash. "Gladiolus, I hardly expected a call from you. Is everything quite alright?"

He heard the shield on the other line give a frustrated grunt. "I don't know- I guess so... Nothing is going on, and it's kinda boring, really."

Odd. Maybe Prompto had fallen asleep? It wasn't unusual for omegas to be in and out of consciousness, their heats taking a lot out of them, even on the best of days. "Probably sleeping. I suppose that's alright. Better to sleep than to be scratching at his own door, trying to get to you..." A thought occurred to him then. Something dreadful and wild, but not entirely impossible. "...You haven't tried to go into his room and check on him personally, have you?"

Gladiolus sensed the uncertainty in his friend's voice and sighed heavily on the other line. "No faith in me, Iggy? After all this time we've known each other?"

The beta clicked his tongue. "You're an alpha, Gladiolus. I have to ask... I know the thought it tempting to you, just from pure instinct."

There was a short silence, and then. "...You're right, Specs. I'm going out of my _mind_ thinking about the kid and what he must be going through and how he's all alone right now... I gotta admit, the thought of going in there and helping him out has crossed my mind more than once..." Ignis frowned. "But I'm no schoolboy who's wet behind the ears to this stuff. I'm a shield, damn it, and I have more self-control in me then that, Iggy. You of all people should know that and have a little faith. I can hold my own just fine over here, thanks."

The advisor felt the sting in the shield's words, and he gripped his hands a little tighter on the wheel. It had not been his intention to insult Gladiolus, merely solidify his faith and assuage his doubts. After all, Ignis was not with Prompto. He was miles and miles away fro the omega, and with the two closest people to him being alphas, he could take no chances in just assuming the blonde was in good hands. Even so, he felt bad that he had hurt the other retainer's feelings. Perhaps he owed the man an apology. "I apologize, Gladiolus. You are correct, you have always showed pride and the utmost professionalism whilst performing any and all duties given to you... I appreciate you doing this for me, truly. I know it's hard on you and that it's incredibly late... I have what I set out to buy, and am on my way back as we speak. Then I'll take over and watch him, and you can get some rest."

Gladio grunted on the other line. "What makes you think _you_ won't be tempted to fuck him too?"

Ignis rolled his eyes. It seemed the alpha was still upset over his previous accusations and was now throwing the beta's own doubts back at him. A very Gladio thing to do. "There's no getting around being affected, no matter _who_ you are... But he will affect me far less than he would you and Noctis, and that's biologically assured. And _someone_ has to watch over Prompto... This is his first heat, and he'll likely not want to be alone. Even a seasoned omega hardly does. They'll feel like they aren't good enough and become anxious or depressed... I'll be fine. Whenever I feel too tempted, I can go and cool off in my own quarters for a bit. I just need to be sure he's getting proper care. In the state he's in, he wont have the sense to eat or drink or take himself to get washed off or anything... Prompto's helpless right now, and it will only get worse as the days go on until the heat has run its course."

"Yeah, yeah... I got it." Finally, the shield was relenting and allowing himself to relax on the subject.

Ignis decided to change topics. "How was it, distracting Noctis?"

"Easy as pie. Had him talking to a whole bunch of boring people _you_ would have loved." Gladiolus snorted and Ignis chuckled at that. "Had him occupied for _hours_ , Iggy. Right up until the party ended. You should have seen his face! He was _miserable_. Although..." Gladiolus paused, and Ignis could practically feel how tense he was through the phone, the man's voice lowering an octave. "...I saw the chancellor."

Ignis sat up a bit straighter in his seat, hands gripping the wheel tightly. "...Yeah?"

"I wanted to punch him, Specs. Wanted to rip his limbs from his body for what that guy tried with Prompto. But I couldn't talk about what had happened in front of Noct, or the whole 'secret omega' thing would be blown. I had to let him go... But _damn it_ , I wanted to kill him!"

"We'll bring the matter to King Regis, when the time is right. I'll even bring it to Queen Sylva's attention, if I have to. Ardyn _will_ get a fitting punishment, I assure you. Even if I have to punish the man myself."

"He fucking better get some form of punishment..." They let the conversation die for a few moments, neither of them wishing to think about the slimy man any longer. The shield let out a long, shuddering breath in order to calm himself once more. "...Anyways... Noct went straight to his room afterwards. Haven't heard a peep from the kid since. Told him Prompto was sick and contagious and to leave him the hell alone alone. He bought it, of course, but he did seem not entirely convinced... Pretty sure he's asleep, what with how late it is and all."

"Wonderful. Thank you, Gladiolus. I am in your debt."

"You always are." The alpha retorted, chuckling.

"See you soon."Ignis smiled and ended the call, leaving himself to silence, the traffic whipping by steadily and the hum of the engine sounding mutely in the background. He was almost there now.

 **...**

Noctis growled low in his throat. A feral, possessive sound that took Prompto's breath away. He scooped Prompto up, walking to the bed with hurried, ungraceful steps. Prompto grunted softly at the impact as he was thrown onto his back, upon the alpha's large bed. Noctis crawled above him and growled again, more softly this time, a call just for his omega, and he leaned down, capturing the blonde's lips in a searing kiss. Prompto felt the tongue brushing across his bottom lip and opened his mouth immediately, letting Noctis in to taste him to his heart's content. The prince could taste himself in the kiss, but it didn't bother him, only serving to turn him on more, his cock already beginning to harden once again. Their tongues mingled and wrestled in their mouths, teeth clashing against teeth, and a string of saliva rolling out of the corner of Prompto's mouth. Noctis pulled the omega's bottom lip between his teeth and sucked on it, eliciting a groan from him. The alpha smirked into the kiss as his friend's hands roamed over his skin, fingers sliding over his ribs, up his chest, and finally to rest at his shoulders, gripping them helplessly as he was devoured. Prompto's hands tried to pull his friend lower, urging the prince to come closer and allow their heated skin to touch, but Noctis was retaining the distance, not giving in.

Noctis broke the kiss to lick and nip at his friend's neck, not bothering with soft kisses anymore, instead lavishing the expanse of skin with deep sucks and nips, leaving large, purple hickeys in his wake. Though is wasn't anything that would bond them, he wanted to mark as much of the blonde as he could, for all to see. Everyone would know that the omega was _his_ after tonight, and the thought excited the prince and sent a streak of arousal down his spine. Prompto cried out with abandon, lacing his fingers through his prince's hair with one hand and clinging to the skin of his shoulder blade with the other for dear life, nails digging into pale skin, leaving harsh, red streaks. Noctis hardly felt it, and even if he had, he wouldn't have cared, too entranced and focused on pleasing. Prompto writhed beneath Noctis, bucking his hips upwards, trying to meet Noctis' and create the friction he desperately needed, but was met with nothing as the alpha was not close enough to him, holding himself up above the blonde on his knees and arms. The omega whined in slight frustration, and was met with a smirk from his friend against the skin of his chest. Noctis' mouth trailed down to one of Prompto's nipples and he took it into his mouth, swiping his tongue over the sensitive nub.

This is exactly what Prompto had been craving. Ever since his heat had first hit him, when Ardyn had his hands on him, bringing forth his primal omega needs. Prompto wanted to be devoured, dominated, _taken_. Used up until he could barely move, until he was marked and impregnated, bound for life to his alpha, his _Noctis_. Any previous truth or reasoning had been abandoned long ago. He was vaguely aware of it all in the back of his mind, threatening to wash over him like a spray of cold water, but it went blissfully ignored and would continue to go ignored until this spell was finally over. He would deal with the consequences only then. In this moment, status didn't matter. Relationships didn't matter. Rules didn't matter. Obligations didn't matter. Destiny itself didn't even matter. All that mattered anymore was Noctis. His calming scent, his alpha lust and possessiveness, the sound of his voice, the feel of his hands, the taste of his mouth. ' _Only Noctis_.' He repeated the words over and over in his mind like a mantra, like it was the only truth in the world.

Noctis' mouth sucked on Prompto's nipple, pulling the bud between his teeth and nipping gently, before travelling lower still, down his ribs, over the dip of his stomach, tongue lapping and tasting Prompto's cum as he went. Afterwards he stopped near the omega's groin, leaving a few fresh hickeys at the junction where thigh met hip.

Prompto was trembling all over, fingers gripping dark hair and tears prickling the corners of his eyes. It all felt so good, so absolutely unbelievable, but he was growing impatient, tired of cumming by just foreplay and masturbation alone, and _Gods_ he was already close again. "Noctis- I _need_ you. _Please..._ stop teasing me!" He cried out through broken gasps of pleasure as Noctis' hands spread his thighs apart, tongue darting out to thoroughly lap up the slick smeared along them. It was a lost cause, though. The more the prince tried to clean it with his mouth, the more leaked out, creating a deep wet spot on the bed.

"Just a bit longer." Noctis panted out against freckled skin. Prompto tasted magnificent, something akin to precum, but not quite as bitter. A more muted, sweet taste that he couldn't get enough of. He used a hand to bring one of Prompto's legs to rest over his shoulder, keeping the boy beneath him opened. "Gotta make sure you're ready for me."

Noctis wanted for all the world to do as his friend pleaded of him and hurry. His cock was now fully hard once more and aching, precum leaking steadily onto the comforter beneath them. But even so, he didn't want to hurt the blonde. He had to be sure there would be no pain, if at all possible. It was both of their first times, and the prince didn't want to be drowning in ecstasy while his friend could only ache and take it in discomfort. Noctis brought a hand to grasp Prompto's cock, giving it a few firm and playful tugs before trailing lower, the tips of his fingers brushing against the blonde's balls and circling his entrance. His eyes met Prompto's and he faltered in his actions, if only for a moment. Prompto looked thoroughly debauched, hair a mess, face scrunched in pleasure, eyes blown out, freckled chest heaving and dark hickeys littering his pale, freckled body. The skin that wasn't marked was tinted with a pink flush and Noctis could feel him trembling beneath his fingers, wound up beyond belief. Pride, love, and possessiveness consumed the alpha and he mentally debated whether or not to kiss Prompto then, but decided against it. That would only set them further back, not forward. So he smothered those desires and turned to more favorable ones. Slowly, he pressed a finger to Prompto's entrance and pushed in, the digit gliding until he was knuckle-deep.

Prompto's head fell to the bed, his eyes closing and his hips pushing back into Noctis' finger. "Ah-! Noct!"

Noctis pulled the finger out slowly, almost completely, before pressing it back in again, the blonde's thrusts meeting his movements. He watched with rapt interest as Prompto's ass swallowed the finger over and over again. The insertion was smooth, effortless, and the heat inside of Prompto was all-encompassing, and it caused the prince to groan, imagining how that warmth and slick would feel wrapped around his dick. Noctis flicked his eyes up to watch the omega's face every so often, making sure there were no visual signs of discomfort. When there seemed to be none, he added a second finger alongside the first, twisting and stretching as they made their way inside. Prompto's hands gripped at the blankets, his head thrashing to the side. Noctis licked his lips at the sight and continued his thrusting, the fingers scissoring a bit inside of the blonde, stretching and opening him up further.

"Gods, Prom... You're so beautiful..."

Prompto bit his lip hard and looked at Noctis, a flush forming even more heavily on his freckled face. He opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a strangled cry as Noctis' fingers curled inside of him and brushed against the sensitive bundle of nerves that was his prostate. He came suddenly, for a third time in front of the alpha, spurts of cum landing over his hips, a few drops landing on Noctis' cheek and nose. The prince felt Prompto's muscles spasm around his fingers as he continued to thrust them, not letting up and adding a third finger as the blonde rode out his orgasm. He made it a priority to brush against that spot more times than not, causing his friend to spasm occasionally.

Prompto watched under thick lashes as Noctis wiped the cum from his face with the fingers of his other hand, bringing the digits to his mouth and licking them clean. He groaned. He couldn't take it anymore. "Noctis, I _swear_ , if you don't fuck me _right now_ , I'm gonna _die!_ "

Noctis chuckled, the tone low and dark with lust as well as fondness for his friend, finally dragging his fingers out of Prompto's ass and travelling up the length of his body to kiss him passionately. He kept one of the omega's legs over his shoulder and he gripped the other one in his hand, keeping his legs spread apart and his ass in the air, the angle exposing him completely. He held himself over Prompto with his forearm next to the blonde's head. The kiss broke eventually and Prompto held on tightly to the prince's sides as he began lining himself up with the omega's entrance.

Noctis looked up, mild worry etched in his features and furrowing his brows. He hesitated. "...You sure?"

Prompto whined, digging his nails into the alpha's ribs. He couldn't take anymore second-guessing, couldn't take any more hesitation. He needed his alpha's cock and he needed it _now_. "Mate me, Noct."

 **...**

Gladiolus' eyes flickered over to Ignis as he appeared, walking with hurried steps down the hallway and towards the door to Prompto's room that the shield was guarding. " _Finally_."

"I apologize. I forgot how late it was... It took me forever to find a pharmacy that was open. And there was traffic on the way back. Is he still asleep?"

Gladio nodded. "Like a baby. Haven't heard a peep from him."

Ignis raised en eyebrow at that. "Odd... I figured he'd be awake by now..." The advisor went for the handle to Prompto's door, but hesitated before opening it. He looked at Gladiolus. "You should probably stand back.. So that the pheromones won't reach you once the door opens. Or at least... not as much."

The alpha raised his hands, taking a few large steps back. "Hey, I aint tryin' to be tempted."

Ignis smiled at the man and nodded a silent 'thank you' before entering Prompto's room, closing the door behind him. He paused, though, immediately afterwards, when he noticed the distinct lack of the omega's scent. He looked around the living area and kitchen. No Prompto. A strong sense of dread began to pool in his gut as he walked down the hall and towards the bedroom. The door was closed. He drew a breath and held it, knocking on it. "Prompto, I'm back. Just like I promised..." No answer. "Prompto, are you awake? I'm coming in now..." Ignis pushed the door open and just as he feared, he was met with an empty room, no omega in sight. The bag of meds fell, dropped to the ground carelessly, and Ignis swiftly turned around, walking right back out of the apartment.

Gladio jumped when Ignis suddenly appeared beside him again, worry and panic etched into his face. "Iggy, what's up?"

The beta shoved the glasses back onto his nose it it's proper position. "We have a problem."

"What's the problem?"

"Prompto isn't in his apartment."

"Oh, _fuck_! You didn't lock him in, Iggy?!" Gladio gazed at the beta in disbelief.

Ignis sighed, frustrated, and placed his arms across his chest. "It was _his_ apartment, Gladiolus. I wasn't going to _lock him in_. I told him I would be back. I thought he'd wait!"

Gladiolus growled, pressing his palms into his eyes to try and relieve his growing headache. "Well where the hell _else_ would he be?" Both men froze, looking at each other with worry. They knew _exactly_ where he'd be. The shield's brows shot up and the color seemed to drain from his face. "Shit- Noct! I haven't seen him since he went into his room. If Prom's in there, they're probably- "

Ignis didn't stick around to hear the end of the alpha's musings, his mind already painting a vivid picture of what exactly the two boys would be up to right about now. He bolted down the hallway, towards Noctis' room, cursing at himself under his breath for being too soft-hearted to lock the blonde up in his own room, as well as for taking much longer than he had anticipated to get the supplies. He should have known better, should have planned for this probability, but it was too late to tread on the thought. He had to stay firmly in the present. When they reached Noctis' quarters, Ignis threw the door open, practically ripping the door from its hinges in the process. Gladiolus was hot on his heels, pheromones-be-damned.

The beta barely flinched when the smell of heat and cum and arousal rushed over his body, his legs pressing onward, his heart pounding in his chest with adrenaline, until he was through the threshold and in the middle of the living area. He could see the naked forms of Noctis and Prompto on the prince's bed and his heart dropped, dread overcoming him for a moment. Luckily for the beta, the two didn't seem to be far in their trysts, Noctis just beginning to align himself at the freckled omega's entrance beneath him. ' _Thank the Gods!_ ', he thought. ' _I made it in time!'_ But that could all change in a matter of seconds, he knew. He had to act fast.

Noctis and Prompto's heads snapped in the retainers' directions simultaneously. "Shit!" Noctis cursed, moving to fully covered Prompto's body beneath him, his alpha instincts demanding that he protect his unmarked omega from other rivals. Who cared that those rivals weren't romantically interested? They weren't about to take Prompto from him. Not now. The prince growled, flashing his teeth at them. "Get the _fuck_ out, Iggy. He's _mine_. He came to me on his own!"

Gladio's legs felt heavy and weak, his lungs burned with every inhale and his pants suddenly felt too tight against the growing bulge underneath, but he pushed on into the room, right past Ignis and towards the prince. He knew that Noctis' response was mainly due to his primal instincts and that he wasn't quite himself, but that still didn't give the boy any right to talk to Ignis like that.

"That may be so, be we aren't gonna let you finish this, kid." The shield's voice was dark and loud, the very sound of it threatening alone, let alone the man's large build, stalking towards the two and baring his own teeth. He stopped right at the foot of the bed and looked down at the two.

Noctis held and shielded Prompto tightly beneath him, eyes glaring daggers into Gladio's. If looks could kill, the shield would have been dead five times already. Prompto merely stared up from beneath his alpha, eyes wide and darting between all three men, unsure of what to do or say. He was visibly trembling, Gladiolus noted. From fear or from having three suitable mates in the room now and being overwhelmed, the shield didn't know. But he could see the littering of deep purple bruises on the blonde's skin and he growled low in his throat. Those hickeys were harsh and deep and would no doubt take a while to fade. It made something inside of Gladiolus enraged, just looking at it. Though not actually marked in the sense that their bodies and souls would be bonded, it was still clearly a warning to the world, telling everyone that Prompto belonged to Noctis. It only made Gladiolus irritated. There the prince was, _again_ , acting like Prompto was some form of property that he could decide what to do with at any moment. Prompto was clearly acting on his omega instincts and needs in his heated state, and he was sure the blonde would normally not be doing this, would not normally _want_ this. Hell, the kid probably wouldn't even _remember_ any of this had happened when he finally came down from the high his heat had him in. Which meant that even though the omega was asking for it, it could hardly be called consent. Whether Noct liked it or not, he had to stop.

"Get off him, Noct." The shield barked out through a clenched jaw, "Before I _make_ you get off."

Noctis didn't move, didn't move one single muscle. He only smirked. "I guess you're going to have to make me, then.", he shot back, the muscular man's threats meaning nothing to him.

Ignis watched the situation from a distance, calculating what to do. He heard the exchange between the two alphas, could see the inevitable fight starting between them, that he was somewhat used to- no, e _xpecting_. But what he _wasn't_ expecting, as Gladiolus made to lunge towards his prince, was the was Noctis had Prompto by the hair, pulling, tugging the blonde's head to the side, exposing his neck. How the prince's head began to descend upon it, teeth bared and ready to bite. Ignis' eyebrows rose and he tensed. The world seemed to be moving in slow motion as he noticed it.

' _Noctis is about to bond Prompto to him_.'

Ignis called a dagger to him then, the weapon appearing in his hand with a flash of blue and he didn't hesitate before throwing it, lodging it into the surface of the bed behind Noctis. Thankfully, the prince didn't notice it, too focused on Gladio coming at him and the blonde beneath him. The advisor disappeared and he reappeared over the spot on the bed that the blade had landed. Gladio looked up and faltered in mild surprise, but Noctis didn't see it coming at all. He didn't notice Ignis behind him until it was too late, the beta grabbing him and pulling him roughly backwards, retching him off of the omega and firmly against his chest. Noctis growled and yelled out, wriggling with all his might inside of Ignis' unrelenting hold, desperately trying to escape. "Noctis. Get a hold of yourself!", the advisor commanded. He wished more than anything in that moment that he had some semblance of an alpha influence, to make Noctis bend to his will.

Prompto yelped in surprise as the warmth of Noctis' body disappeared and he was left exposed and alone. Gladio followed Ignis' lead, grabbing the omega by the arms and dragging him out of the bed and to stand, held against his own chest. The muscular man ignored the whimpers and pleas the omega gave. But he also couldn't help himself from burying his nose in the omega's hair, breathing in his scent deeply. Prompto smelt so good. He wondered what it would be like to-

"Gladiolus." Ignis' voice snapped him out of his thoughts, the other retainer looking at him with mild frustration and disappointment at his actions. Shit. He had almost went under the omega's heat-laced spell, despite his earlier confidence. "Get Prompto out of here. Take him to his room and leave him."

The shield nodded and picked the boy up, doing as Ignis instructed. Noctis tried to release himself from the beta's grasp with newfound desperation as Prompto disappeared from his view. "Prompto!" He called out, and all he heard was a few faint cries in response from down the hall. Ignis kept him until Gladio was back at the entrance to Noctis' room, signalling that the deed had been done. He finally released the prince, shoving him forward to land on his mattress some ways away.

Noctis whipped his head around to glare at his advisor. "Ignis, what the _fuck_?!"

Ignis got off the bed and stood up, his weapon disappearing with a shimmer. He smoothed down his clothes and fixed his hair, trying to compose himself the best he could, leftover adrenaline still coursing through his veins. "I apologize, Noctis. But I had to do it."

"Like hell you did." The alpha spat.

The prince's tone hurt the advisor a bit, not being used to such disdain. Usually it was the shield who took the brunt of Noctis' frustrations. Being on the receiving end of it felt terrible, but he accepted it without argument. He had to stay strong and unwavering, for both of the boys' sake. He sighed. "We will discuss this later, after you've had time to cool off. I apologize again, but I'm going to have to lock you in here until I deem you trustworthy enough to come back out and listen to reason."

Noctis sat up, glaring at his retainer's backside as he walked out of the room. "You're not my _mom_ , Ignis. You can't lock me in my room!"

Ignis shot him one last stern look over his shoulder before closing the door and locking it from the outside. The man sighed heavily, pressing his forehead against the door as Gladio approached him from the side. "Gladio... what are we to do about this..."


	19. Chapter 18

The next few days went by in one long haze. Prompto's heat lasted four more days, and the first twenty-four hours after he was ripped from Noctis' arms were the worst.

As soon as Prompto was rushed out of the Prince's bedroom he began whining, clawing viciously at Gladiolus' arms and chest, struggling and wriggling desperately to free himself from the larger man's hold. Gladiolus had held him firmly, not allowing the boy to get away. He continued to cry out and call Noctis' name, so much so that his throat had begun to feel raw with the effort.

Once he was gently deposited onto his own bed, in his own apartment, Prompto changed tactics. He clung to Gladiolus, gripping the alpha's kingsglaive coat tightly between his fingers and looking up at him with desperate, pleading eyes. He begged the shield to take him back to Noctis. Or, if not that, then to at least stay by his side and not leave him all alone.

It almost worked. Gladio had hesitated only for a moment, the alpha in him growing soft for the omega's pleas for company. He looked down at Prompto, face etched with an apologetic sadness that looked so foreign on the alpha's features, he may as well not have been Gladiolus at all, but someone Prompto didn't know. He had reached out to touch the blonde, to sooth him in some form or another, but stilled, seemingly deciding against the idea half-way through. Gladiolus screwed his eyes shut before retracting his hand and clenching it into a fist by his side. After that, he disappeared from Prompto's sight entirely.

Prompt heard the click of the lock on his door later and the heavy footsteps fade away to nothing, and it was all too much. A terrible, all-encompassing feeling of loss and sadness overcame him, and he made his way to the front door as fast as he could on shaky legs. Prompto jiggled the handle, trying to will it open, and when that didn't work he tried to call his pistol to his hands so that he could shoot the barrier between him and Noctis.

But nothing came.

They must have temporarily separated his link to the Armiger.

Sobs wracked his body and he began pounding at the door, crying out and calling frantically for his alpha until his fists were bruised, scraped, and bleeding from the effort. After realizing there was nothing left he could do to try and escape, he slid down the wall, to the floor, cradling himself in his arms and weeping.

As much as Prompto wanted to see his friend, Noctis never came.

Why didn't he come? Did he change his mind? Was Prompto deemed an unfit mate? The questions came and went, running circles in his mind until he felt like he might become nauseous with it. He felt rejected, abandoned. He shouldn't have felt that way. He _wouldn't_ have, if he was in a sound state of mind. But, hell, he wouldn't have done a _lot_ of things if he was in a sound state of mind… But the omega in him wasn't thinking about how Noctis was probably being contained just the same as he was. It could only claw at his self-esteem and decent reasoning, telling Prompto that he had been discarded, that he wasn't good enough.

Ignis had come in some time later, after changing clothes to something decidedly less formal than his kingsglaive attire and holding bags of food and supplies that Prompto might need during his heat. When he entered the apartment, he had found the omega sitting against the wall by the door, shivering and cradling himself, mumbling illegible babble to himself, not giving the advisor any indication that he even realized he was there now. It was startling. He was staring at nothing in particular off in the distance, eyes red and puffy, tear streaks trailing his freckled cheeks. His nails dug at the skin on his arms, and he probably wasn't even realizing he was incredibly close to breaking the skin.

Ignis had furrowed his brows with concern and went to kneel next to Prompto, to look at the other more closely. The omega's skin was a little paler than normal, the hickeys trailing down his torso standing out harshly in comparison. He was covered in a sheen of sweat, his hair matted. Ignis went to touch the boy's shoulder, and the skin felt as hot as fire beneath his ungloved fingers.

He probably had worked himself into a fever.

The advisor's brows furrowed further, and his lips turned into a tight frown as his eyes glimpsed over the fresh wounds to Prompto's hands. ' _How had he gotten those?_ ', the advisor had mused. But one glance behind them at the blood-stained door told him everything he needed to know.

Ignis' heart ached. He shouldn't have left him long for so long, especially after he had been around an alpha for such a prolonged period of time. in hindsight, it hadn't been a good decision.

In hindsight, a _lot_ of things hadn't been good decisions.

Ignis had failed him twice now.

"Prompto. I'm here now… I apologize that it took so long…" Prompto didn't respond, didn't give any indication that he could even hear Ignis at all. He was probably in a state of shock. The beta began rubbing small, soothing circles into the omega's shoulders, trying to coax him into relaxing his grip on himself. It had worked, but only mildly.

"Prompto, hey, hey… Look at me." Ignis cooed, as softly as humanly possible, trying to coax his omega instincts into noticing he was there, that he was here to help, that he wasn't alone anymore. Prompto did as he was asked, slowly, shifting his sky-blue eyes to Ignis' emerald ones. Ignis offered a small smile, happy that he had gained some form of a reaction, but remaining optimistically patient. Prompto wouldn't open up so easily after the emotional trauma he had endured, not even during his heat. He had to earn the blonde's trust back.

"Let's get you cleaned up, yeah? …I'll run you a nice, warm bath. Get that blood and grime off of you… How does that sound?" Prompto didn't say anything for a long time. He just stared at the man for a long while, sniffing lightly at the beta's scent and seemingly weighing his options. It took a while, but eventually the boy relaxed under Ignis' gently massaging caresses and unwound, reaching out to the fellow retainer to pull the man into a tight hug.

"Iggy…?" The voice came out weak and hoarse, it didn't sound like Prompto at all. It sounded so small and fragile.

"…Yes?"

"Please don't leave me… Promise me… for real this time?"

Ignis' heart ached, and he held the boy tighter, running his fingers through soft blonde hair. "I promise."

Prompto didn't resist when Ignis helped him to his feet and walked him into the bathroom afterwards.

Ignis had bathed him, sitting on the edge of the tub with Prompto in the water between his legs, and scrubbing softly at the blonde's body, trying his best not to hurt him when the washcloth brushed over the injuries and bruises. Prompto was a little tense at first, and had more than lightly protested losing Noctis' scent on his body, but quickly relaxed under Ignis' careful touches with the help of more than a few reassuring phrases. The beta ensured him that it was only temporary, that he would offer his own scent in the prince's place until they would see each other again. It was almost sweet, how the blonde mewled and sighed, leaning into Ignis' hands like some large domesticated feline.

Afterwards, he dried the omega off before disinfecting and wrapping the fresh injuries on his hands and helping him into fresh pajamas. He helped Prompto into bed before walking into the kitchen and heating up some leftovers from the party. He brought them to the omega in hopes that he would eat something, but the boy refused, seeming to be more like his prior self, only interested in needing to be close to Ignis in any way possible. So, with a heavy sigh, the beta set the food aside, hoping that they would be eaten later, and slid into bed next to Prompto.

Ignis comforted him in any way he could without being physically intimate with him. He was firmly adamant about not crossing that barrier, much to Prompto's eventual disappointment. He laid next to Prompto, allowing him to cling to him tightly and nuzzle into the crook of his neck, taking in his scent and trying to cover himself in the scent. The blonde would grind his growing erection into the advisor's leg occasionally, but that was fine. _That,_ he could handle. The advisor just laid there and whispered soothing, reassuring words into his ear while rubbing his back or caressing his hair, allowing the omega to ride out his heat against him or touch himself as he liked.

Ignis didn't miss the way Noctis' name fell from the boy's lips as he came from time to time.

Whenever Prompto slept, that's when Ignis slept, doing so in his own quarters so that Prompto would not try anything with him in his state of unconsciousness. It never failed that Prompto was a needy mess as soon as he returned, overly clingy and at the brink of tears. So sleeping in his own bed turned into sleeping on Prompto's couch. And when _that_ had been thrown out as an option after waking up to the omega straddling and grinding against him, sleeping on the couch eventually turned into not sleeping at all.

Prompto rarely ate or drank, only doing so when Ignis practically begged in his sweetest tone for a lengthy amount of time, or when the omega was too drowsy after sleeping to deny it with too much thought. The blankets and bedsheets had been contorted into a large nest during the few days, and whenever Ignis tried to convince Prompto that it needed washing from all of the bodily fluids it had accumulated, it didn't go over well. At one point, the beta even received a fierce bite to the hand. The blonde wouldn't let him so much as _touch_ the bed for at _least_ an hour after every futile attempt. So Ignis gave up on that, mostly, deciding to stick with washing the actual omega himself. That, at least, always went relatively well. Except the one time where Prompto was clinging to him too much and pulled him into the tub, clothes and all. Ignis was miserably wet the rest of the day.

Day after day drifted on, blurring into one long expanse of time for Ignis, in his sleepless nights and more than busy days.

On the fourth day, Ignis could smell the slight shift in Prompto's scent, the heat lacing it slowly fading away by the hour. At long last, it was ending.

Prompto drifted off into a deep sleep that night and Ignis finally left the apartment to trudge to his own and take care of himself. He smelled thoroughly of cum and heat and his eyes could barely stay open, red and sore from the effort. Gladiolus had been concerned when meeting Ignis in the hallway by chance, but Ignis merely brushed the man off. It was the least he could do for the boy. He was their friend, after all. And what are friends for, if not to help one another through tough times?

Once properly showered and redressed, Ignis flopped into his bed in a manner much unlike himself and more like his teenage prince, and selected Gladiolus' number on his phone without even looking at it. The action was muscle memory at this point, with the amount of times he had to call the man throughout their lives with Noctis. It rang twice before the shield answered it.

"Yeah, Iggy? Whatcha need?"

"A break…" He replied hoarsely. Sleep sounded so, so good, but he had to abstain. Just for a moment longer.

"You want me to watch the kid?"

"Yes, please… Tomorrow morning, bright and early... His heat is ending, it should be gone by dawn. You shouldn't be affected... But I warn you, it will smell like a sex marathon in there."

" _Oh_ , so then not different than the way _my_ room smells. You know, considering all the ass I get." Gladio laughed warmly at the joke for Ignis, who was much too tired to comment on it. He would think of a quip for later.

"Thank you, Gladiolus. I will be sleeping now… Probably for a long time…"

"Go for it, Specs. After being up for so long, you deserve the rest. Don't worry, I'll be there first thing in the morning. I'll be the first face he sees."

Ignis' eyes closed, unable to be held open any longer. "…He probably won't remember anything, Ignis. It was his first heat, and a ferocious one at that… Please be sure to explain the situation to him, would you…?"

"Ah, gotta give the boy _the talk_. Got it. That should be no problem, I've got experience in that." Not only with his young prince, but with his younger omega sister as well.

"..."

"…Iggy? …You asleep on me?"

"….."

Indeed, he was.

 **…**

Prompto ached all over, and his body protested when he moved to sit up. Looking around groggily, he noticed that he was in his apartment. Since when had he gotten there? Wasn't he supposed to be partying? He was damp from sweat and rather sticky in the downstairs area, but he didn't care to stretch his neck muscles took glance down. Had he had a wet dream? If he did, he wished he remembered who it was about. Whatever had happened in it, it must have been fucking good.

A shuffling of pages and the creaking of a chair stirred him from his groggy state and his gaze shifted to the balcony. The sliding glass doors were open, allowing a gentle breeze into the room. Gladiolus was sitting in one of the wooden chairs there, and upon noticing Prompto had awoken, he closed the novel in his hands and gave him his full attention.

"Morning, princess." Gladiolus called. "How you feelin'?"

Prompto considered this. "…Like hell..."

The shield laughed and walked into the bedroom. "Yeah, I _bet_. After everything you pulled, I don't doubt it."

Prompto frowned. After everything he had pulled? What did that mean? He tried to remember the events of the party. He remembered being frustrated at Noctis, fawning all over Luna. He remembered Gladiolus flirting with members of the kingsglaive. He remembered wanting to go find Ignis. But after that? Nothing.

He drew a blank. "Was I really that drunk? I don't remember a damned thing."

Gladio gave him a look, and Prompto couldn't properly decipher it. It was like the man was in on a juicy secret that the blonde knew nothing about. "Well… That may have been some of it. In the beginning, at least."

"Oh… okay…"

They stared at each other for a while, in awkward silence, before the alpha cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. "That's kinda the reason I'm here right now, actually..."

Prompto quirked an eyebrow. Gladio opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to come up with a way to start, but after a few failed attempts, the settled for body language, pointing at the gunner and vaguely gesturing at his midsection.

Prompto looked down at himself and he froze, shock and confusion highlighting his features. "What the hell?! Are these- "

"Hickeys. Yeah. And some fucking brutal ones, at that."

Prompto studied his torso, running his eyes over the expanse of his chest frantically, trying to remember what had happened. When he couldn't recall anything, he snapped his head back up to look at Gladiolus. "Wait. Did we-?"

"Fuck?" The man chuckled when Prompto blushed at his crash word phrase, shaking his head. "You _wish_ , sweetheart." Prompto was even more confused after hearing that, and slightly panicked, if he was honest. If not Gladiolus, then who? " _I'm_ not the one you reek of."

Prompto stopped to smell himself, his eyes growing wide when he recognized the familiar scent of cinnamon and vanilla. "Oh. Fuck. Ignis?! Did we- "

"Wrong again, kiddo."

"Wha...?"

Gladiolus merely shook his head. "I'll explain it all after you go clean up. Trust me. You're gonna wanna be wide-eyed and bushy-tailed for what we're gonna discuss."

Prompto nodded, slowly, still thoroughly confused, but agreeing that a shower was definitely needed. His body ached and protested as he left the bed and walked into his bathroom, closing the door behind him. He filled the tub and washed himself quickly, trying to avoid looking at how disheveled and utterly debauched he seemed in the reflection of his bathroom mirror. He cracked the door, asked the shield for some clean clothes, and changed into them before coming back out.

"Let's move this little chat to the living room. You're going to want to sit down for this, and the bed is kinda... sticky." Gladio offered whilst walking towards the living room, plastic bag in hand. What was inside of it, the omega didn't know. Prompto followed not too far behind, and they both sat on a chair.

The alpha cleared his throat and levelled the blonde with a look. "Ok. So. First, let me just tell you that everything I'm about to tell you is accurate. At least, it's accurate as far as Ignis and I know. If I'm going too fast for you, let me know. And of you have any questions, feel free to ask them. Okay?"

Prompto nodded, his body tense under the shield's gaze. "Yeah. Go for it, big guy. After waking up looking like _this_ , I need to know..."

"Okay." The man nodded and collected his thoughts for a moment. "Let's start from the beginning, then. What's the last thing you remember?"

"Well... I was frustrated..." _Why_ he was frustrated, he wasn't going to say. "...I went to go find Ignis. After that? Nothing."

The muscular man nodded. "Okay. That's good. We have a starting point." Gladiolus allowed himself to relax into his chair, crossing one leg over the other. "I'm not going to sugar-coat any of this for you, Prompto... You went into heat."

Prompto balked at the man, sitting up straight and clenching the cushions beneath his hands. "Heat?! But that's... impossible! I'm an omega! I've been an omega my entire life!"

"Prompto... What day is it?"

He scoffed. ' _I can't believe Gladio doesn't even know what day it is... Who was the one who drank too much again?_ ' "Well, it's _clearly_ the day after Noctis' party, sooo... Sunday."

"Wrong. It's Wednesday."

Prompto deadpanned. "...What?!"

"Exactly. Point proven." They sat in mutual silence, Gladiolus giving the blonde time to let the first bit of information sink in. So far so good, but the rest of the story wouldn't be so easy to take. "As I said before, you went into heat while looking for Ignis. You're an omega, Prom. Just didn't realize it. Hell, _none_ of us did... Came as quite the shock, trust me."

Prompto just said nothing, deciding instead or lean forward, with his elbows resting on his knees, staring down at the floor with a blank expression.

When Prompto had nothing to offer to the conversation, Gladiolus continued. "None of us know what happened exactly while you were looking for Specs, but... When he found you, you were being... sexually assaulted by an alpha."

"...What...?!" Prompto couldn't believe what he was hearing. Assaulted?! It couldn't be true. That couldn't have happened. He would have remembered it, he would have-

Gladiolus realized how pale the boy was becoming and he made to move closer to him, but Prompto swallowed thickly and looked up at him. "How far did he go?" He asked it more as a demand, than a real question. When Gladio didn't answer right away, he asked again, louder. "How far?!" Prompto may not have known he was an omega, but he knew damned well what would happen if an alpha and an omega had unprotected sex, _especially_ if one of them was in heat or rut.

The retainer swallowed. "Well, Ignis found the two of you half-way through... He said that he didn't think you had been penetrated yet. The guy had been... prepping you."

Prompto let out a breath he didn't even realize he had been holding. Good. That was good. Well... not _good_. But not as bad as he thought it had gotten.

"Iggy said you damned near shot the man. Told him never to come back or you wouldn't miss next time." He laughed, trying to lighten the mood a bit. As much as one _could_ during a situation like this, anyways. "I wasn't there to see it go down, but... I'm proud of you, kid. Most omegas wouldn't have the balls to pull a stunt like that during a heat. You're pretty gutsy."

Prompto didn't react to the man's attempt at making things seem less awful. He felt sick, his stomach twisting into knots. He wished he could remember. Why didn't he remember? Someone had attempted to _mate_ him, and he didn't even know what the man had looked like. It could have been _anyone_. It could be someone Prompto saw every day, walking around the castle, and he wouldn't even know.

At the same time, Prompto didn't know if he _wanted_ to know. He didn't know what he would even do if he saw the man again. Probably shoot him. That wouldn't look good to the public. He'd have no way of defending his actions without having to open up publicly about what the alpha had done to him.

Maybe it was best not to know.

"...Anyways, that's where Ignis came in. The two of you ran the guy off and then he took you here, where you would be safe from other alphas trying to assault you." Gladiolus looked away then, crossing his arms over his chest tightly. "...It didn't work."

If Prompto was feeling nauseous before, he was feeling three times as awful now. "...What happened...? Are these hickeys from _that guy_ , or..."

The omega watched as Gladio shook his head, still unable to bring his amber eyes to meet the boy across from him. "...No. They're not."

Fuck.

Prompto watched as Gladio set the plastic bag he had been carrying onto the coffee table between them. "Ignis left you in here, thinking that he'd have time to get you these before shit hit the fan..." The blonde gunner took the plastic bag and brought it to his lap. He peered inside and rummaged around, looking at every box one by one. His blood ran cold and it was hard to breathe as he read what each box was.

A large box of suppressants and many, _many_ boxes of birth control.

All sound faded away except for the blood rushing through the omega's head and the violent pounding of his heart. He felt his stomach drop to the floor and his limbs felt numb. "Gladio, am I... pregnant?"

"No, you aren't, thank the Gods... Again, we made it there just in the nick of time. But... we almost _didn't_ make it on time..."

Prompto swallowed hard, sweat forming on his brow. "What happened after Ignis left. Did someone... come into my room?"

"No. You left voluntarily. You were already gone when Ignis got back."

"So then, _where_ did I-? _Who_ did I-? "

Sensing the boy's question before it finished coming out, the shield provided, "Noctis."

Prompto's heart stopped, he was sure of it. The name played over and over in his mind, on repeat. ' _Noctis._ ' This was bad. This was very, _very_ bad.

"Iggy almost broke the door down trying to get to you guys when we realized." Gladiolus chuckled under his breath a bit with the memory. "We separated you guys, and Noctis looked about ready to _kill_ us. I'm telling you, it was intense. I've never seen the kid that heated before."

Prompto's eyes met Gladiolus' and the blonde leaned back into his chair, gripping the bag of meds tightly. "I've fucked everything up..."

The alpha's brows furrowed, and he uncrossed his legs, resting his hands on his knees. "Hey! Don't say that. You couldn't help how you were. None of this is your fault. If anything, what happened between you and Noctis is _Noctis_ ' fault. He could have _resisted_ , he could have- "

"You don't understand!" Prompto drew his knees against his chest and shook his head. Tears stung at his eyes. "It was supposed to be a _game_ , just something to pass the time! But things got so _out of_ _control_ , and- Damn it!" Gladiolus watched in slight apprehension as the omega punched the cushion at his side. "He smelled so _good_ , and he was so warm. I- I couldn't help it, I kissed him, and then we-" The blonde bit his lip as the tears started to fall. He felt the fellow retainer's eyes on him, and it hurt, like a physical blow. The man was sure to be mad at him, with what he was admitting. "He wanted to do _more_. Hell, _I_ wanted to do more! But I we stopped, and- and I told him that we should just stay friends!" Prompto buried his face in his hands as he continued. He barely noticed that Gladio had moved from his chair until the man was right next to him, pulling him into a tight embrace. " _Fuck_ , Gladio! He said he didn't love Luna. He said he wanted _me_!"

Gladiolus rubbed the boy's back and nodded. He was beginning to get the picture now. ' _It seems like the prince and his friend had moved way farther, and at a faster pace, than we thought they would_...', he mused, solemnly. He had seen this coming a mile away, he just didn't factor in that Prompto was an omega. That little turn of events sped the whole process along, preventing himself or the advisor from coming up with a game plan on how to stop it. By now, too much had happened. There was no turning this around. So, he continued to listen quietly.

"I want him to love me _so much_ , Gladio... I realized that, after we kissed... I _want_ him to love me. Of course he'd be the one I'd go to in a heat- _Fuck_! Knowing the way he feels, of _course_ he wouldn't resist..."

"Well... You can't turn back time." The large man slapped a few pats to Prompto's back before pulling away to look into his puffy eyes. "Don't get me wrong. _This_ whole thing?" He waved a hand in the air, vaguely gesturing to the entire space around them. "This _forbidden love_ thing? ...Its dumb. _Really_ dumb. It was _never_ supposed to happen. And you're probably gonna to have to go through a lot of shit in order to make it right or even have it _accepted_ , but..." The brunette sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. "Fuck it. If the two of you feel this strongly about each other, who the fuck am _I_ to stop you?"

He was The Shield. The Shield of the future fucking King of Insomnia, and he had immense power and influence all on his own, but he digressed...

Prompto just stared at him, dumbstruck. He blinked away the beginnings of a few tears and wiped the wetness from his cheeks with the backs of his arms. He was expecting the alpha to blow up, to yell at him for how stupid he had been, to maybe beat him up or kick him out, but _no_. He was here. Holding him and telling him that he wasn't going to stand in their way. What even _was_ life anymore?

But that didn't change anything, didn't really solve anything, Prompto knew. It didn't get rid of what had happened over the last few days and it sure as hell didn't help how to go about things afterwards. How was he going to face Noctis now, after everything they apparently did together? What face should he put on? How should he act? Would the prince be mad that he didn't remember any of it? Would he be ashamed?

Would he regret it?

Prompto absently ran a hand to trace over a few of the lingering hickeys along his chest, through his shirt. _Noctis_ had left those. Noctis had _wanted_ to leave those. He wished he could remember how the prince had looked at him, during. What had his face looked like? What did they say to each other? What had it felt like?

He looked up at the man in front of him. "So... What happens now...?"

Gladio let him go and took the box of suppressants out of the plastic bag. He raised them to the omega's face. "You take _these_. Now that you're a fully presented omega, you smell alot stronger. Not trying to say you smell _bad_ or anything, you just smell... tempting." He watched as the freckled boy quirked and eyebrow at that, letting out a light chuckle. "Prom, no. Don't do this, I'm trying to be serious here!"

Prompto crossed his arms over his chest and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Do I tempt you, Big Guy?"

" _Yeah_ , you tempt me... Tempt me to punch you in the face, that is." The smaller boy outright laughed at that. "Look. I can't really describe it, other than saying you just smell... _sexy_? It draws attention subconsciously, and it's distracting. Cut it out." He said it as if it was something the fellow retain could actually stop right then and there, and it only made Prompto laugh more.

Gladiolus threw a water bottle to Prompto and watched as the blonde popped one of the pills in his mouth obediently and chased it with the clear liquid, chugging half of the bottle down hungrily. "Those pills aren't going to stop you from going into heat, you know. Just gonna make you smell less..."

" _Appetizing_?", the omega suggested, a grin spread across his freckled face.

Gladio frowned only half playfully. "Like a damned buffet." He watched Prompto consider this and nod. "Take the birth control, too. Religiously. You can never be too prepared and I'm sure you don't want to be a dad just yet..."

"That, I do _not_." Prompto agreed and rifled through the bag between the selections. The injection was too scary, and he couldn't see himself injecting it without hours of psyching himself up for it first. So that was a no-go. Day-after pills? Not his thing. He wasn't going to rely on a pill hours after the deed had already been done. So, one-a-day pills it was. He went ahead and took the pill, chasing it down with the rest of the water until the bottle was empty.

"Good. That's settled, then. Any questions you got for me?"

He did have questions. A _lot_ of questions. But as much as he loved Gladiolus, he didn't think the man could answer them as well as another omega could. And right now, after everything that had happened, the thought of jumping back into his life as the prince's retainer wasn't sitting well. He yearned for the fresh air and feel of chocobo feathers beneath his hands. He needed to see Wiz and spend some time down at the farm, to sort things out.

"Yeah, um... I need you to do me a huge favor, and... could you, maybe, not tell Noctis?"

"A secret mission?" Gladio smirked, excitement dancing in his amber eyes.

Prompto nodded. "Oh, and we're going to need the Regalia."

"That car is as good as ours."


	20. Chapter 19

It had been five days. _Five days_. And Noctis was still locked inside of his room. Bored out of his mind didn't even begin to explain how he felt as of late. Bored out of his mind was an _understatement_.

At first, all he felt was anger. Pure, _unadulterated_ anger towards his retainers that had him seething and baring his teeth. Once the doors to his room closed and he heard Ignis lock the door from the outside, he growled and all but _destroyed_ his living quarters, flipping over furniture and smashing paintings, vases, and other various décor. A string of curses had left his mouth, and there were more than a few times he had yelled, "Come out and fight me for him, if you feel so tough!", out for his retainers to hear and come to the challenge. He knew at least Gladiolus' alpha hearing would be able to pick it up.

Unfortunately, neither of them had come for the challenge. He only heard a faint mocking laugh from Gladiolus and a grumble of "He's making such a mess… It's going to take _hours_ to tidy it…" from Ignis.

More than once he had attempted to call his blade to his hand, hoping to warp off the balcony and onto Prompto's. Much to his disappointment, nothing came. Nothing more than a few sparks of magic flittered out to disappear like a fading ember. He had yelled loudly and threw a patio chair off the balcony to the gardens below, crushing the new rose bushes. The royal gardeners would be pissed, but Noctis couldn't have cared less. He couldn't _believe_ Ignis had him severed from the Armiger. _Him_! _The Prince_! How had that even been _possible_? The prince wondered what the retainer had said to his father in order to make that happen.

There wasn't much else to do later except lay in bed and stare up at the ceiling angrily until sleep finally took him.

…

On Sunday, Noctis' alarm clock blared loudly in his ears at 5:00am as per usual, telling the prince to wake up for his morning training with his shield. Noctis unplugged it from the wall and flopped back into bed, defiantly. "Gladio can fuck off…", the prince grumbled into his pillow.

"Now _that's_ a nice thought to have first thing in the morning." Noctis' head shot up, and he searched for the voice that sounded through his still-dark room. The sun hadn't risen yet, and so it took his eyes a while to adjust. "Best not talk about your shield that way, though. I'm supposed to tell him when you're being a little shit, so he can get you back for it later."

Nyx Ulric was sitting casually on top of the railing to the balcony, tossing his curved knife into the air and catching it with ease as it came back down over and over, smirking at the drowsy prince through the glass of the windows. He was dressed casually, wearing a grey, form-fitting t-shirt and black sweatpants that ended half-way down his calves. Running shoes laced on his feet. His hair was shaved at the sides, the rest pulled back to travel down the back of his neck in thin wisps and braids encircled by metal jewelry native to Galahd. He had light stubble along his jaw, giving him a slightly rugged and manly look that Noctis secretly envied.

Nyx has been a long-time member of the Kingsglaive, one of his father's top recruits. Noctis didn't know him very well, only chatting with him here and there while passing by in hallways or in the training room whenever he happened to be sparring with Gladio. He was on much better terms with the shield, but Noctis liked him well enough. He wasn't like most of the other kingsglaive his father signed on. For one thing, he actually had a _personality_ under the uniform. He was head-strong and confident, border-lining on cocky, but somehow staying on the former side of the scale. He was popular with the ladies and was quite the jokester when drunk, apparently. Maybe it was the beta in him that made him so level-headed and fearless.

Noctis narrowed his eyes at the man, clicking his tongue. "Oh, wow. _Nyx Ulric_. I wish I could say I'm happy to see you, buuuut… No." The stubborn prince laid back on the bed, turning so that his back was facing the man. In any other circumstance, the prince would have been happy to see the man. In _this_ instance though, he was working for Gladiolus.

Which made him the enemy.

Nyx mocked a pouty face and slid off the railing to his feet, slowly trudging into the bedroom. "Aww. And here I was hoping you'd make this _easy_ for me."

"Not a chance… Why are you here, anyways?" Noctis watched the man circle around to the foot of his bed.

Nyx crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his head, a small smirk resting on his face. "The shield assigned me personally to make sure you don't miss your training today."

"Oh, yeah?" The alpha rolled his eyes. "And why isn't the big man himself training me today?"

"Said he wouldn't be able to stop himself from punching you in your stupid-ass face..." Noctis sat up slightly, shooting daggers at the man with his stormy blue eyes. "Hey- _his_ words. Not mine. Still, though… Not a bad choice of words, all things considered."

Noctis huffed a breath and laid back down, closing his eyes. "Well, you can tell _Gladio_ that I'm not doing any training. If he wants me to do it so bad, he can come up here and train me _himself_. Unless he's as big of a wuss as I'm calling him out to be right now, that is."

Nyx sighed and shook his head. "Where did Regis go wrong with you…" He turned to survey the disastrous state of the prince's bedroom. "I like what you've done with the place. _Much_ better than how it was before. Who needs to sit, anyways? Chairs are highly overrated, if you ask me."

"Come on, Nyx. Fuck off. I want to sleep."

"No can do. I have strict orders… Hey, what pissed you off so much anyways?" The beta received no answer. "You're the strong, silent type… That's okay. I understand, _trust_ me…" He walked next to where Noctis was laying down and squatted down, so they were on eye level. Noctis could see the crows-foot tattoo on the man's cheek clearly from there. He wondered what the significance of it was. "…But I'm going to stay here and bother you until you finally get your ass out of bed and train with me."

Noctis let out a muffled groan. "What's even the _point_? I can't summon my weapons... I'm cut off from the Armiger."

Nyx smirked. "You _do_ realize not all fighting involves weapons, right? I was thinking we'd just do some intense warming up before kick-boxing it out on the balcony over there."

Noct sighed and sat up, levelling the beta with tired eyes, red from lack of sleep. "So… I get to punch you…?"

"Only if you're able to land a hit." Nyx's smirked turned into a full-on grin.

Reluctantly, Noctis got up.

He didn't land one hit.

…

On Monday, Noctis had a full day of lessons and lectures.

Ignis was usually the one to do them, but the man was absent. In his place was some old woman named Gretta that Noctis didn't recognize. Probably some hired tutor by the advisor himself.

Noctis hated her. She was incredibly strict, slapping his knuckles with a thick wooden ruler whenever his calligraphy wasn't _absolutely_ perfect. She'd correct his grammar whenever he talked non-formally and made him sit up straight the entire day. Noctis' back hurt from the strain of sitting perfectly. She even stayed present during his meals, nagging at him to chew with his mouth closed and not to slurp his drinks. She also didn't let him have sweets afterwards like Ignis usually would. He couldn't even think about napping, lest he get a sharp smack to his head by her ruler.

When the day was finally over, he practically broke the bed with the force he put into throwing himself onto it.

He was beginning to miss Ignis.

…

On Tuesday, Ignis had sent a few random kingsglaive to Noctis' room. They were there to ensure the prince would clean up the mess he had made of all the furniture. He had to fix and place everything just so, and send Ignis pictures as proof. Other than a few things that would have to be replaced, like some porcelain décor or a picture or two, everything had been put back almost exactly as he had it before.

When the prince sent the pictures to his advisor through his phone, Ignis had only texted back with a thumbs-up emoji. Noctis scoffed. The man still wasn't directly speaking to him, even through text messages? Like, come _on_! It had been a whole _two days_ already!

Two could play that game.

Noctis shot out a text to the advisor consisting of _many_ middle-finger emojis and angry faces.

The only response he got back was:

 **You will be seeing Gretta again tomorrow.**

Noctis groaned loudly.

 **I wasn't originally going to send her, but now it's punishment for the language.**

The prince huffed and threw his phone across the room. He didn't even use an actual _language_! Just pictures!

He had changed his mind again. Ignis sucked.

…

On Wednesday, much to Ignis' promise, Noct was stuck with Gretta. It was complete hell.

The woman had come up with hundreds of advanced math problems for the alpha to solve, and he had to do them all of the blackboard she had brought in, showing her his work and how he had come to his answer. Afterwards, he had to read a non-fiction book aloud and then present her with an essay on the plot and meaning behind the story. After a lunch break, it was time for science. She had him studying marine biology.

At one point in the lesson, Noctis' attention had drifted from the woman to stare out the window while her back was turned to write on her blackboard. His eyes shot up as he saw the small forms of Prompto and Gladiolus, from outside his window down below, walking out to the regalia parked in front of the Citadel.

"Prom…?!", he whispered to himself as he watched the blonde hop in the passenger seat, the shield sliding into the driver seat and starting the engine. The prince threw what little care he had for Gretta's teachings out the proverbial window and darted out of his desk, running to the balcony to watch the two of them drive off.

He cupped his hands around his mouth, yelling, "Prom!", but it seemed like the two men couldn't hear him. They were too far away, already on their way through the bustling traffic of Insomnia.

Gretta appeared by his side to drag him unceremoniously by the ear until he was back into his desk. When she turned her back next time, he took his phone out as discreetly as possible and shot his fellow alpha a text.

 **What the fuck, Gladio?! Where are you taking Prompto?!**

He waited patiently for a few minutes before a few minutes turned into a few hours and he was about to bite all his nails off from the frustration. Finally, his phone buzzed. He held it beneath his desk and read:

 **None of your business, cupcake.**

 **Tell Gretta I said hey.**

Noctis threw his phone again, rolling his eyes as Gretta picked it up and lectured him about having phones out during class.

Gladiolus sucked.

…

On Thursday, Noctis was surprised to wake up on his own without an alarm blaring in his face, Nyx commenting on his piss-poor attitude, or Gretta whipping him with her ruler for sleeping in.

Sitting up, he read the alarm clock.

11:30am.

"Damn… It's this late in the morning already…? How did I sleep so long…? This never happens…" The alpha asked himself groggily and scratched his head.

"That would be due to me. I felt like you deserved a day to sleep-in. After all, I think this little punishment of yours has been going on long enough... Wouldn't you agree, Noctis?" Ignis' voice rang out from the living area, the advisor sitting in one of the chairs and sipping delicately on a cup of coffee.

Noctis' first instinct was to be mad, like he had been for the past four days. To be pissed off and yell at the man. Probably to flip that hot coffee all over his advisor's nice clothes, too. But, honestly? He was relieved to finally see the beta after all this time, and to have him talking to him like it was just another day.

Noctis cleared the sleep from his voice before agreeing, "I guess… I'm tired of being locked up in here…" He slipped out of bed, padding across the room to sit on the couch adjacent to his retainer. Noctis could smell the faint traces of Prompto's scent on the man's clothes and It made him tense, a twinge of jealousy running down his spine.

"…Hey…" He greeted, lamely, feeling a little awkward. It had been days since he'd seen the man face-to-face, and at that time Noctis had been completely naked, hard, and acting like an absolute ass when all the retainers were trying to do was prevent him from impregnating his friend. A completely reasonable thing to do, but at the time Noctis hadn't seen it as such. He had been in a sexual haze, created by the omega that was beneath him.

Ignis bowed his head in his prince's direction. "Hello, Noct… Feeling better?"

Noctis shook his head and brought a cup of ebony to his lips, cringing at the bitter taste. "No…"

Ignis considered this. "…Because of your actions? Or… is your anger directed towards Gladiolus and I?"

Noctis sat the cup of coffee back down. "…Both, I guess..."

"Ah. I see." Ignis took another sip of ebony. "Well, in regards to your _actions_ , you do understand why I had to lock you away for so long… Right?"

Noctis nodded. "…Yeah…." He got the overall picture, yes. He understood that his friend had made it into his room with the intention of getting _fucked_ , that was for sure. He understood that normally the blonde would not have done that. He also understood what a heat was and what one smelled like, and that had _definitely_ been one hell of one, that was for damned sure. What he didn't understand all too well was how the boy hid it from him all this time, passing off as a plain old beta. "…Thank you for stopping me back there…" Noctis offered weakly, looking away from Ignis and towards the floor.

"You're welcome."

"…How did I not know that he was an omega, though…? I mean… He didn't _smell_ like one or anything… And when I came at him during my rut, my pheromones weren't even _affecting_ him…"

Ignis adjusted his glasses. "Well, that one is simple enough to answer. The fact of the matter is, he hadn't presented until recently. Until alphas and omegas present, they are basically the same as betas. I assume he'd never even taken a blood test, seeing as he had a lack of funds for one…The boy himself didn't even suspect it. He didn't believe me when I told him. He thought he was just drunk."

Noctis nodded, mulling the information over in his mind. "Makes sense…"

Ignis leaned forward, resting his cup on the table and staring Noctis straight in the eyes. "Noctis. We need to talk about something serious." He watched the prince swallow and meet his eyes. "Prompto. You intended to bond him to you, that night. I saw, which was why I had to pull you off him… Was that your body's reaction to the heat, or was that your own will?"

Noctis almost choked on his own spit and he brought his fist up to muffle the coughs that racked his chest. He felt his face burn from the blush that crept up his neck and to his cheeks. That was _certainly_ a forward question. The beta gave him time to collect himself. When Noctis finally had a handle on himself, he cleared his throat.

Eventually, he replied, with a surprising amount of self-assurance in his voice, "…I wanted to mark Prompto."

Ignis stared at the boy for a long while. "…For how long have you had these feelings?"

Noctis gave a half-shrug. "Since before he became my retainer, actually…"

Ignis' brows rose slightly, but he still retained his hard stare. ' _So their relationship had began before the recent events_ …' "And Prompto… He reciprocates these feelings?"

"Why else would he have come to me, if he didn't?"

"Being in heat is hardly consent, Noctis. You should know that… Had he ever told you that he wanted you to bond him to you _before_ that night?"

Noctis slumped in his chair a bit and furrowed his brows. "…No… Not exactly…"

The advisor sighed and took another sip of his coffee. "So, my next question is, what do you expect to do about all of this? What about Lady Lunafreya?"

"…I have her blessing."

Ignis started slightly, holding his cup more firmly and furrowing his brows. "She gave you her- _what_? Come again?"

"Yeah… I was surprised, too… She told me that we aren't meant to be together… She has visions, you know? …She told me she was never in them… Only Prompto… She said that she knew it would be him for a long time… Even before our arrangement…"

Ignis sat there for a long time. "…And you are sure Prompto is who you want..?"

Noctis shot him a look, confidence shining brightly in his blue irises. "More than I've been sure about anything in my entire life."

Ignis crossed his arms over his chest and nodded. "I see… Well, if that's the case, you need to let him know how you feel. Prompto didn't remember anything from his heat… Only what we told him had happened… You have to understand that he isn't the same person who was in your room that night, Noctis… He's himself again. He might not want you to bond him to you… Even knowing this… Would you still want to tell him how you feel?"

Noctis nodded. "If he doesn't want me as his mate, I'll stop. I won't pressure him. I'll respect his decision. But I can't go another day without telling him how I feel. I need to let him know how much I care for him."

Ignis stood up then, brushing the wrinkles from his clothes. "A very grown-up answer, Noctis. I'm surprised."

Noctis stood up as well, giving his retainer a small smile. "Guess I just grew up a bit recently." Ignis returned his smile with a warm one of his own. "So… Where is Prompto, anyways?"


	21. Chapter 20

Luna bid Noctis and Gladiolus farewell before the limo door was closed and the car was slowly making its way through the crowded roads of Insomnia.

The party had been wonderful. The food was amazing, the music was nice, and the company had been more than pleasurable, even meeting and socializing with a few members of Regis' kingsglaive.

But the pain in her heart over her lost love was still fresh in her mind and her heart. She kept her gaze through the tinted glass of the car window, watching the residents of the great city. Even though it was two in the morning, the city was still fairly lively, with lots of people roaming about or clubbing or shopping. Luna could hear and feel the pulses of the base from whatever music was playing in a building nearby and it helped to slow her own racing heartbeat. She closed her eyes and focused solely on it, letting the feeling flow through her and blocked out everything else.

It were times like these she wished she was a normal girl. Not a princess, not an oracle, but a regular teenager who could go out with friends and take in everything the various nations had to offer. Alone and free. No obligations, no overprotective brothers, no creepy chancellors.

"Forgive me for saying so, My Lady, but your eyes are looking a little red around the edges and you don't seem a beautiful as you were before this trip. Have you, perhaps, been crying tonight?" Ardyn's sickly sweet and gruff voice cut through Lunafreya's tranquility like a hot knife through butter.

She repressed saying anything snappy by biting the inside of her cheek. It wasn't becoming of her to snap at the man, and if she did she would never hear the end of it from Ravus. "No offense given, chancellor, I assure you. The hour is late. I'm just tired, I suppose."

Ardyn smiled that same smile he always did, the one practically dripping with false good intentions. "I see. Feel free to take a nap if you'd like. I'll be right by your side, to protect you through your slumber, I _assure_ you."

As tempting as the notion was, she didn't feel comfortable sleeping next to the man, so she refrained. Ever since leaving the party, the alpha had been grinning from ear to ear, looking at the wine glass in his hand as if he was deep in remembering something good that had happened to him, instead of actually drinking the liquid. It made Lunafreya feel uneasy. She was getting a very ominous vibe.

"You seem happy tonight… Did something good happen, chancellor?"

He chuckled. "You _could_ say so, My Lady. I suppose it is something _very_ good…"

She crinkled her nose at the strong scent of self-satisfaction that filled the limo along with his natural alpha scent. "Mind telling me what happened?"

His grin turned into a smirk as he turned to look in her direction. His golden eyes were sparkling with a mischief the made a shiver go down Lunafreya's back. It was unnerving. "Nothing _too_ significant, I _assure_ you… But I have learned _quite_ a few new things tonight… Knowledge is power, Lunafreya. And power is _everything_."

Luna merely nodded and ended the conversation there, not wanting to talk to the cryptic man further. She focused her gaze outside again as they passed through the towering city walls and into Hammerhead. She wondered what the man had been talking about, though. Could he had somehow overheard her conversation with Noctis? Surely not. They had been alone. She was sure of it.

She smelt something, then. Barely there, almost completely gone. Just a small whiff. She perked up a bit and shot him a side-long glance. She had only known Prompto for a few moments, but she was very good at distinguishing scents and that had _definitely_ been Prompto Argentum's. A strong feeling of uneasiness sat in her stomach and she swallowed. He had done something to Prompto, she was sure of it. But the smell was so faint, it couldn't have been anything too bad… right?

She hoped so, at least.

…

Ravus awoke feeling less than well-rested. He usually did, what with all of the extra duties he was picking up and the late nights he was spending going through documents. Even so, he sat up and stretched, looking to the place on the bed where his mate had slept alongside him.

Se smiled to himself. She was already gone, the only thing remaining being her rumpled sheets and strewn-about pillows. Aranea had always been an early riser naturally from her daemon-hunting days. He wished she would allow her body more time to rest, but she was a stubborn woman and held pride in her duties.

He heard the sound of running water and the strong smell or rose petals wafting in from their bathroom and he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and made his way there. He smiled and leaned a shoulder against the door frame as he gazed over his mate, soaking comfortably in the deep bathtub, rose petals dancing over the ripples in the surface as she turned the running water off with a foot. She looked so serene and beautiful, her hair matted to her face and droplets of water running down her silky skin. Her belly, shoulders, and head were the only parts of her that was not submerged in the water.

Aranea heard a soft chuckle from the entrance to their bathroom and looked up, giving her mate a fond smile. "Something funny?"

Ravus just shook his head and moved to sit on the edge of the tub. "Nothing, really. Just thinking about you. How are you feeling, Love?"

" _Much_ better, now that you've decided to grace us with your presence today for once. This must be a rare treat." She splayed a hand out on her protruding belly and rubbed it idly. "Isn't that right, boys?"

Ravus smiled softly and reached out to cover the hand on her stomach with his own. He could feel one of the babies kick. "Good morning.", he called to them and Aranea snorted. "…Did you come up with names for them yet?"

"Well, I was considering 'Aerus' and 'Vor'… what do you think, Ravus?"

"I think _any_ names you decide will be wonderful, Aranea…" He bent down to lay a kiss on her temple. "…Mind if I join you?"

The ex-hunter laughed and pushed him away playfully. " _Your_ fat ass in here with me? I don't think there's a tub big enough for _that_!" She teased, but moved so that he had room to slip in if he pleased. "Yeah, sure. Why not? You could use the bath. You smell like paperwork and boredom."

Ravus pulled off his sleepwear and stepped into the warm water behind his mate, sitting to have her resting between his legs, her back against his chest. He pulled her into a hug. "You're about to burst."

"Ughhh, I _feel_ like I'm going to burst." She grumbled, "You're lucky I love you. Having twins is torture."

The alpha chuckled. "Well, I suppose it's good that they'll be due soon then, yeah?"

The omega nodded. "Yeah…" She turned to deliver a kiss to his cheek. "How long are you able to relax like this today?"

The prince grumbled. "Only just for now, unfortunately. I have to meet with the Chancellor today before going about my daily obligations and helping mother."

Aranea hummed. "All work and no play makes Aranea bored out of her _fucking_ mind... I don't know how you do it, Ravus."

"It's only going to get worse when I fully take over the throne…" He kissed her neck. "…Will you wait for me, then?"

"Are you _kidding_ me? Spending almost all my time out of your sight, not having to hear your grumpy voice in my ears? It'll be like a Gods-sent _vacation_!" The woman laughed heartily and gave him a gentle pat on the arm. "Just playing, of course. I'll miss being around you… A bit."

He smiled, used to her jokes and sarcasm to show her affection. He knew she would miss him deeply. "I love you too."

…

Ravus found Ardyn in the throne room, next to Queen Sylva, as he usually was. He discreetly nodded to him, and then in the direction of the library. Ardyn nodded back, signaling that he understood they were to meet there. The chancellor excused himself from the queen's side and followed the prince inside, closing the doors behind him.

"A fine morning it is today, wouldn't you say so, Prince Ravus?"

"Cut the formalities, Chancellor. You know why we're here, and I'm a very busy man, as of late..." He watched as Ardyn's wry smile faltered a bit. "What did you dig up while you and my sister were in Insomnia."

"Prince Noctis has a new retainer."

The prince perked up at that, furrowing his brows in curiosity. "Noctis hasn't picked another retainer since childhood…" A very unexpected bit of knowledge, indeed. "…Who is it?"

Ardyn's grin came back full-force and he made a show of puffing himself up and crossing his arms over his chest. "A commoner from Lestallum, from what I gathered through my… _sources_."

"A mere commoner? For what purpose?"

"Well, My Prince… The boy is an _omega_ …"

Ravus frowned and clenched his fists at his side. An omega retainer was practically unheard of for royalty. They were considered a liability over anything, because of their tempting smell and unavoidable days-long heats. Having an omega as a retainer would only make sense if they were basically being used as human se toys. The thought angered Ravus. "That Insomnian brat has a little whore in his group, despite the fact that he is destined for Lunafreya?! …Does the boy have no decency?!"

Ardyn shrugged. "Well, there is no _guarantee_ that this is what the boy is there for… After all, there _is_ another alpha alongside the prince in their little _group_. Although… regardless of fact or fiction, it would cause an _uproar_ in the headlines… And it would be _just_ the leverage you need to call off this little engagement…"

Ravus nodded. "That, it is…" Knowledge like this couldn't just be let out. It needed time to simmer, grow credibility. Make it believable to the public. Anything said so early in Prompto's position as retainer would only be written off as a rumor or a ploy for attention. No, they needed time. Some form of incriminating evidence. Or at least evidence that could be easily seen as a secret romance. "Wait a while. Give it some time. We will sit on this for a bit. When the time is right, I want you to bring this story to every reporter and newspaper you can find. And bring evidence. Something. Anything to make it believable." Ravus' look he gave to Ardyn was pure steel, unrelenting and sharp.

The chancellor bowed deeply, taking off his fedora as he did so. "As you wish, Your Highness…"


	22. Chapter 21

Prompto clutched the overnight bag to his chest tightly, apprehension consuming him. Gladiolus had gratefully loaned him the bag for the trip. There was nothing in it that really deemed an entire bag _necessary_ , just his pills, but the alpha had insisted, saying they would be harder to lose if they were all in one location.

At first, being in the Regalia with the top down and the wind through his hair as they sped out of the city made Prompto calm. With a good distance between himself and Noctis, it was becoming easier to forget all about his indiscretions and worries relating to his royal friend. But the further away he got from Noctis, the closer he became to seeing Wiz again after all this time. The thought made his stomach do flip-flops. Wiz had always been kind and welcoming to him, ever since they first met. But Prompto had left without any word, and, with his new title, would have had no intention of returning. Would the old man still be happy to see him, even knowing that? Would he turn him away? The entire prospect made the omega pick at his nails and fidget with his bracelets. Wiz was the only omega he knew. If he couldn't talk to him, then who could he turn to?"

Gladiolus noticed how the boy was fidgeting out of the corner of his eye and gave him a warm pat on the shoulder. "Hey. Quit squirmin' so much. You're overthinking things."

Prompto jumped a bit at the unexpected contact but soon relaxed under the alpha's hand. "…Sorry…" He bit at his lip and clutched his bag a little tighter. "I'm just nervous, I guess…"

"What's there to be nervous about, anyways? He the guy doesn't want to see you, it's no problem. You got us!"

The omega shook his head. "It's more than that, Big Guy… Wiz was the first one to give me a chance… He let me work and sleep there, and he gave me a camera, and- " His eyes grew wide and he tensed. " -Oh my god. I have to tell him I broke the camera he gave me! What if he gets mad? What if he- "

Gladiolus' large hand moved from the blonde's shoulder to cover his mouth instead. "Enough of the overthinking! Shit happens!" His hand felt warm from Prompto's breath as the boy attempted to say something through his hand, but it only came out as muffled noises. "I'm not letting go until you agree to calm the hell down, kid." Prompto glared at him, but it went unnoticed. "Promise me you'll be good? Prompto, stop trying to talk, you know I can't understand what you're saying. Look- just nod your head as a 'yes' if you agree." Prompto nodded and the alpha finally let go. "Good."

They sat in silence for a bit as the sandy desert with its scarce foliage turned into rolling green fields and forests.

Gladio cleared his throat. "If this man was as nice and welcoming to you before, I don't think that's gonna change now. Don't worry about it… Ok?" Prompto nodded. "So… How long do you plan on staying here?"

"…I'm not sure…"

"As much as a sympathize with your situation, you're still a retainer. You've been out of commission for a while, and we can't keep giving King Regis excuses as to why you aren't fulfilling your duties…"

Prompto considered this and frowned. Or _course_ he couldn't run from his problems. He _did_ sign-up for the position himself, after all. He made an oath to protect the prince no matter what, regardless of personal feelings. Damn it, he just started and _already_ he was epically failing at everything the roll entailed.

He laughed awkwardly, bringing a hand to try and fix his hair. "What did you guys say to the king, anyways?"

"Well, basically the same thing I had told Noctis. Told him that you were sick, and that it was contagious. Told him that our prince had caught the same thing and that the two of you were bedridden and puking your guts out. Told him not to come by or else he'd catch it too. Only excuse I could come up with, really. 'Spose it worked well enough."

The blonde nodded. "Yeah, it did… Thanks again. For everything you guys did for me while I was…" He blushed. "…indisposed."

Gladio laughed. "Don't sweat it."

"So, um… All thing considering, how long do you think you could allow me to stay, then?"

Gladio contemplated it and shot him a sideways glance. "Today."

Only that day. That was… _a lot_ less than Prompto had planned. But he'd make it work. He'd have to make it work. "Thanks, big guy."

A few more minutes of silence passed by and soon they were driving on gravel roads, through a think forest. They passed as sign saying: "Wiz's Chocobo Ranch – 20 Miles on the right!" and Prompto smiled.

Gladiolus noticed. "You must really like chocobos."

"Are you kidding me? I _love_ chocobos! They're the perfect creature!"

Gladiolus smirked. "Ignis would have to disagree with you there."

Prompto's eyebrows shot up and his mouth hung open. " _Iggy doesn't like chocobos_?! How is that even _possible_?! _Everyone_ loves chocobos!"

The shield shrugged. "He would much rather eat them."

Prompto turned from a shocked boy to an overprotective mother in an instant, levelling the larger man with a glare. He clutched his bag to his chest as if he was cuddling a baby bird instead. "Not in _my_ house. Nu-uh. Chocobos are friends, _not_ food."

The man bellowed out a long laugh, clapping his hand back on the boy's shoulder. Tears threatened to fall from his eyes and his stomach burned from the strain on his abdominal muscles. "Oh my Gods, kid. You are absolutely adorable."

Prompto smiled sheepishly. "Adorable enough to buy a guy some grub?"

"Yeah, sure, Prom. I can do that."

"Awesome!"

…

With a belly full of Kenny's Diner and his travel bag in hand, Prompto slid out of his seat next to Gladiolus and closed the door behind him, turning around to meet the shield's eyes. "Thank for the ride, Big Guy. I really appreciate it."

Gladiolus nodded. "No problem. Any time."

"You gonna be the one to pick me up tomorrow?"

"Probably, if nothing else gets in the way."

"Cool…" Prompto kept his hands on the door of the car. He was procrastinating, he knew. But his food was threatening to come back up and he desperately needed leverage of some kind to keep him bound to earth. He could tell that Gladiolus could tell what was going on and it only made him want to say 'fuck it!' and hop back in the car and go back. Instead, he swallowed down the lump in his throat and offered his companion a shaky smile. "…So, um… See you, I guess?"

"See ya, Prom." Gladio smiled back before taking the regalia out of park and driving away until the car was completely out of sight.

Prompto took a deep, steadying breath and closed his eyes. The air smelt fresh, with the undeniable smell of fluffy yellow birds underneath, and he could hear the soft chirps of a few of them behind him in the distance, along with the muffled chatter of patrons visiting the ranch. It all felt so nostalgic, so nice. It made him calm down a bit.

"I'd recognize that hair anywhere! Is that who I think it is?"

Welp. Now he felt like puking again.

Prompto turned around so see Wiz walking from the souvenir stand towards him, his steps slow and heavy with his age. The man looked at him through the shade of a large cowboy hat atop his head and slightly unkept hair underneath it. Despite the heat of the summer sun, the man wore thick, denim over-alls, a long-sleeved flannel green shirt, and a bright yellow handkerchief around his neck. His skin was tanned from all his years in the sun, and he had heavy wrinkles. His movements were a little clunky, and Prompto felt the urge to help him walk, but he refrained. He knew Wiz was okay and that he could take care of himself. The old man would only complain about the help afterwards. He was sweet, but stubborn in his ways.

"Is that my Prompto? Nah, _couldn't_ be! I haven't seen that kid in _weeks_!" Prompto felt the words like a punch to the guy, despite the warm smile the man had on. Was Wiz really mad at him, after all..?

"Yeah, it's me… Surprised...?" The omega laughed shakily and shifted on his feet, clutching his bag in his hands to hard his knuckles turned white.

"Surprised? Hell, I'm _delighted_! My boy is back home!" Wiz opened his arms up for the blonde to meet him in a deep hug. At first, the blonde stood stock still, unable to process what was meant of him. But soon realization sunk in and he realized that the other omega was asking for a hug. A _hug_! And Wiz had called him ' _his boy'_! All at once, Prompto dropped the bag from his hands, uncaring about it as he wrapped his shaking arms around Wiz, hugging him tightly. Relief washed over him with overwhelming speed. He wasn't mad! And he said he was _home_! Tears began to well up in his eyes, spilling over onto the fabric of the older man's shirt. From happiness or relief, he did not know. Probably a mixture of both.

After the hug ended, Prompto wiped the tear from his eyes and asked with a smile, "Did you miss me, Wiz?"

Wiz nodded. "Like the son I never had." Prompto felt like he might cry again, but held it in as best he could. He picked his bag up off the dusty ground and brushed it off. "Been awful quiet here without you around. The birds missed you, you know."

"Haha. Even Missy?"

Missy was one of the more stubborn birds at the ranch. Very finicky and she hardly ever let anyone other than Wiz and Prompto touch or ride her. "Especially Missy. Come on inside the shack! Make yourself comfortable. We need to catch up!"

The omega nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love to. There's so much to tell you!"

"Wiz chuckled. "I bet! Can't wait to hear all about it."

The two of them walked a ways past the souvenir booth, Wiz asking one of the other farmhands to tend to it for him for the rest of the day. They walked past the stables and down a hill until they reached Wiz's house, a small wooden shack just large enough to comfortably house one person. The house looked a little rough around the edges, seemingly falling apart in some places, but the inside looked much nicer, all old, home-made wooden furniture and second-hand items to fill it with. Wiz never cared for new, flashy things, always preferring the joys of making things himself. He had built the entire house and everything in it back when he was a little older than Prompto.

Prompto sat on one of the worn couches in the man's small living area and Wiz went to the kitchen. "You hungry, kid? I could make us some sandwiches."

Prompto shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine. Had something to eat a little while ago."

"Tea, then?"

Prompto smiled. "Tea would be nice. Thank you."

They waited as the tea brewed and the blonde was given a steaming cup of it. Wiz took one for himself and sat in a small rocking chair by the fireplace. "So, how's your head?"

Prompto quirked an eyebrow. "Wha-?"

"You know, your injury? The prince came by with two of my chocobos looking like he damned near pissed himself! Said he was gonna take you to the castle and get you looked at. That was the last I'd heard about you."

The retainer felt the back of his head. "Oh! That. It's fine. Hasn't hurt in a long time, and the stitches are gone now. The hair's even started growing back out."

Wiz nodded. "That's good, then. So. Tell me all about life in the castle."

Prompto scratched his cheek. "Oh, Gods… Where do I even begin…?"

The older man smiled. "Start wherever you'd like, kid."

So Prompto did.

He started from the beginning, meeting Noctis in the middle of his rut, spending the night in a tree, falling out of said tree, waking up in the castle, becoming closer to Noctis, learning how to use a gun. He explained his feelings of wanting to stay there, to be around the three men he grew to like and be friends with, to become a retainer.

It was harder for him to talk about what happened that night in Noctis' bedroom. A lot harder. The kisses, the touches, the forbidden love in his heart that had blossomed for the prince and the prince's own confession towards him. How much it had hurt to deny Noctis' feelings towards him, his decision to stay friends for the sake of the bigger picture. Wiz never judged him or spoke up. He just rubbed soothing circles into this back and offered him more tea when his cup ran out.

He described the ambush of sabertusks, and how he had ended up saving Noctis and becoming a retainer officially. And, finally, he talked about the party. The heat that had overtaken him, the alpha that had threatened to take him, the way he willingly let himself be ravished by Noctis and the loss of memory afterwards.

Wiz made a small humming sound as he considered everything Prompto had told him. "Well, now.. Looks like you're in a bit of a mess there, kiddo…"

Prompto nodded. "…Yeah… Wiz, what was it like for you, when you first presented?"

Wiz chuckled. "Well, Prom, that's easy. I knew I'd be an omega for as long as I could remember. My parents were omegas. So, naturally, it's in my blood. So, being raised by omegas, it was really easy for me to understand what would happen to me. Even before I presented, I had suppressants and birth-control at the ready. And when my first heat came, I just kinda… holed myself up in my room and _dealt_ with it. It's all anyone really _can_ do, when they don't have a partner to, you know, _help out_ …"

Prompto nodded. "I guess so… So, like… How often should I expect these heats…? Will I always lose my memory afterwards?"

"Nah, boy. You won't lose your memory after them all. Usually it's just the first because of how hard it hits you. Some people are lucky enough to not lose their memory at all. I was one of 'em, actually. As far as how often you will have them, you can expect them every three months, consistently. How long they will last? Well… that varies from omega to omega, so it's tough to say…"

"Okay…" Prompto sighed. At least he'd have a proper memory from now on. He supposed he should buy a calendar and begin writing down his cycles, so he didn't forget. "…So, do I go through any… changes?"

Wiz shook his head. "Not any changes you haven't already gone through. You already had the cramps that come before presenting. That's your body preparing your womb. The next symptoms also vary from omega to omega. Some get really hungry, some lose their appetite. Some get hyper and never sleep, some sleep for days. Things like that. But something that is pretty consistent is the need to nest. Have you had that feeling, Prompto?"

He nodded. "Kinda… I had the craziest urge to build a pillow fort on Noct's bed… Does that count?"

"Sounds nesty enough for me.", the man offered. "You're gonna get that feeling a _lot_ before your heats. It's your natural instincts to create a safe and comfortable place for yourself and your partner to stay during your heat. You're gonna be protective of it, too. So be careful about that. You'll probably get snippy despite your usual happy self."

"Gotcha. Anything else I should know?"

Wiz nodded and frowned a bit. "Yeah.. You're gonna be wet. Very wet. It's your body self-lubricating for a partner. And it's called slick. If I were you, I'd just forgo clothes altogether… It takes a good but to wash the smell out of your clothes… Although, you should probably expect slick to happen outside of a heat as well, whenever you're, you know… in the mood. For those times, you could buy some pads to wear inside your underwear. But that's all up to you. Some people don't like the way it feels, or they think it's awkward for their partners to see. Just… be aware."

Prompto blushed slightly, unused to hearing the man before him talk so openly about sexual stuff. "Alrighty! I'll be careful."

"Most important of all, the meds. Now- I'm not gonna make you take them. Hell, _no one_ will, really. It's up to you. Your body, your choice… But if you don't take the suppressants, expect a _lot_ of attention and possibly even some unwanted advances… And just be wary that unprotected sex with an alpha will pretty much guarantee you gettin' knocked up, especially if you're in a heat or they're in a rut… So, as I've said, it's up to you if you wanna take that stuff. I'm just letting you know…"

Prompto lifted his travel bag. "Got 'em right here. Took them this morning."

Wiz let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Don't ever forget to take them unless you're absolutely certain."

"Don't worry, I won't." At least, he hoped he wouldn't. Only time would tell. "Thank you for explaining all of this to me, Wiz…"

Wiz smiled. "No problem, Prom. And call me _Uncle_ Wiz. I know I'm not your daddy, but… Hell, kid… I've grown close to you like the son I've never had ever since I hired you and got you off them streets. It feels wrong for you to just call me Wiz…"

Prompto felt a warmth grow in his heart. "Thanks, Uncle Wiz…" He was happy. _Beyond_ happy. He was relieved to have Wiz open him back with open arms and acting as if he hadn't felt for weeks at a time. He felt loved and accepted, and he was suddenly very glad he made the decision to come back to the ranch. He made himself a mental note to do something special for Gladiolus later as another thank-you.

They both sat there, smiling at one another for a short while before there was a knock at the door.

"Yeah? What is it?" the old man called out, not leaving his spot on the couch.

"Sorry to bother you, Mr. Wiz, but Missy won't let any of us feed her! She keeps pecking at us! We can't get her to settle down!"

They both laughed at the exasperated sound of the man on the other side of the door. "I'll be right there!" Wiz called, getting up from his chair, Prompto following right after. "Damned bird is always like this…"

Prompto chuckled and shook his head as they made their way out of the shack and towards a large fenced-in area. "Things haven't changed here at all…"

"No, son… No they haven't." They approached the fence just in time to see the chocobo in question chasing an employee around the enclosure, making pecking motions whenever the bird got near them. The poor girl was screaming and had abandoned the greens on the ground long before. She hopped the fence and kept running until there was plenty of distance between her and her attacker. Her friends just held their stomachs and laughed at the scene before them, some taking pictures and videos. Prompto couldn't help but laugh as well. Wiz just sighed exasperatedly and opened the gate for the two of them, letting themselves inside before closing the gate back.

The man who had asked for Wiz early spoke up. "That bird's impossible…"

Wiz whistled, and Missy turned her head to look at him quizzically. "Hey there, girl… Easy, now… I brought a surprise for ya." He stepped to the side and the bird danced in place slightly as her large black eyes met Prompto's blue ones. Prompto waved enthusiastically. "Look, Missy! It's Prompto! Your favorite!"

Missy immediately let out a happy little "Kweh!" and fan full-speed at the blonde, toppling him over and nuzzling him anywhere she could. Prompto laughed and pet her back, giving little scratches behind her head and the top of her back.

"Hey, girl! Did ya miss me? I missed you _sooo_ much!"

Wiz leaned against the fence and smiled as the other employees just stared in amazement. "How does he do that?!" One of them asked.

Prompto just shrugged. "Maybe they think I'm one of them. Cause of my hair and all."

"Probably so." The farmer agreed, handing Prompto a burlap sack of greens. "Feed her for me, will ya, son? I gotta man the souvenir stand and let Louis on his break. If you need me, I'll be there."

Before Prompto could even fully receive the sack, Missy was already shoving her face inside and pecking happily at the food within, stopping every few bites to let out a satisfied "Kweh!". The blonde clicked his tongue.

"Missy- _hey_! Slow it down, will you? You'll choke! Geez, you act like you haven't eaten in _days_!" He admonished to the bird before he turned his head to call out to Wiz as the man made his way to the stand and called, "Thank you, Uncle Wiz! If it's alright with you, I'm gonna hang around the chocobos for a bit!"

"Alrighty!"

The omega smiled.

He spent the remainder of the day petting each and every chocobo, feeding some of them and bathing others. For a while, he even attempted to race them on foot like he used to. He lost, of course. He was no match for his feathered friends. Before he knew it, the sun was setting. All the birds had been corralled back into their stable, in their respectable stalls. All except for Missy. The other employees left that chocobo in particular to Prompto, and he took the job without complaint.

"You ready for bed, girl?" The blonde asked, pulling said chocobo by the reins and leading her inside of her stall. Once properly enclosed, he took the riding equipment off her and hung it up on its hooks before setting one last handful of feed on the ground for her to eat. "Good girl, Missy.", he cooed as she ate. "Those mean people don't know how sweet you can be, do they? No, they don't!" He chuckled at himself and his ridiculous baby talk. If Noctis and the others were here, they surely would have made fun of him. "Hey. Promise me you'll be a little nicer to the staff?"

The bird stopped eating and looked in the boy's eyes. "Kweh." It was a solid 'No', from her.

Prompto sighed. "Oh, well… A guy can dream." He gave her one last pat before climbing the ladder to the upper floor of the stable.

The top floor was small, and rickety if stepped in the wrong places. It was covered in hay, a few blankets and books strewn about and an oil lamp sitting by a glassless window. The omega looked over it and sighed. How many times had he slept up here, through snowy winters and hot summer? Rainy springs and windy autumns? He looked at the wall, at all of the different polaroid shots of scenery, birds, employees, patrons, and selfies of himself pinned to it's surface. How many times had he reviewed the photos he'd taken and pinned them to the wall, or shown to Wiz? How many nights had he spent calling this little square of floor and hay his home?

Before meeting Noctis, it was the only home he had. It all seemed like such a long time ago now, as if it all had been a dream. Even so, he snuggled up next to some hay and pulled a blanket over his body, turning to look out the window down to the farm below. He watched as Wiz flipped the sign on the souvenir shop from 'Open' to 'Closed', locking up for the night. Then man turned to look at him, and he waved. Prompto waved back.

He knew that if Wiz had the space for him in his house, he would have offered. But, as it was, this was fine. This was more than enough, and Prompto was grateful. He'd always been grateful.

He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to take him. He'd be leaving tomorrow, and the thought hurt him a bit more than he'd like to admit. Perhaps Noctis would let him come visit occasionally.

He smiled. "I'd be protecting him, if he'd come with me. Two birds with one stone." He mused to himself before his breathing slowed and evened out, and the world went dark as sleep finally overcame him.

…

Noctis pulled the regalia onto the dirt road, parking just outside of the fence that contained the chocobo ranch. The sun had just come up as he reached his location, covering the horizon in lovely yellow, pink, and blue hues. The place was quiet and serene, only just open for business and hardly any patrons there.

It had been hell convincing Gladiolus to tell him where Prompto was. He had to beg. And then beg again. And then beg some more, on top of apologizing profusely for being a brat. But once he was deemed forgiven, he was given the keys and a strict warning not to do anything Prompto didn't want. The threat hurt him a bit, being unable to be trusted with the omega still. But he understood why it was happening. If he was them, he would have been threatening himself too.

Steadying himself for a deep breath, he shut the car off and made his way towards the souvenir stand, where he knew the owner would be sitting, just like the last time he was here. He watched as the man looked up from his register to meet his eyes. The look that came afterwards unnerved him a bit, and made him slightly uncomfortable. The old man was usually so nice, but now he seemed to be sizing Noctis up, evaluating him in a way.

"Um… Hell, Sir." Noctis offered, greeting the man with a nod. "Is Prompto here?"

Wiz eyed him a little while longer before crossing his arms and nodding. "Yeah, he's here. You're Prince Noctis, right? The fella my boy fancies? The one who brought back my chocobos before whisking Prompto away for weeks, never to be heard from again, like some wooed princess?"

Noctis blushed hard and shifted on his feet, bringing a hand to scratch at his arm. "Yeah, that's me, I guess…"

Wiz didn't acknowledge how his accusations made the prince squirm. He just kept eyeing the prince, his gaze unrelenting and firm. "What are you here for, boy? Going to take Prompto away again?"

Noctis stood a little straighter, trying to gather himself and seem less intimidated than he really was. "Only if he wants me to, Sir. I'm not here for anything in particular. I just want to talk to him, if that's alright."

The answer seemed to please Wiz a bit, his hard stare softening around the edges a bit with the slightest hint of a smile. "Talk to him? What about?"

Noctis couldn't help the deep blush from spreading further along his face and neck, even if he tried. His eyes roamed the little stand frantically, not wanting to meet the man's quizzical eyes. Why did this feel like he was asking for someone's permission to take their daughter? He'd never had the experience before, but he'd seen enough of Gladiolus' cheesy romantic comedies to recognize the scenario. "Well, I… I was going to… Tell him how I feel."

"Oh, yeah?" And how do you feel?"

Noctis didn't know what to say for a bit. He didn't know if he _should_ say anything. The question was rather personal. But, well, Wiz was the only one here who knew where Prompto would be. So, heart hammering in his chest, he swallowed the lump in his throat and pushed the words out of his mouth. "That I love him. And that I want to be with him. Forever, if possible." After a beat, he quickly added, "If he'll have me, that is." Ah, yes. He couldn't forget that all of this hung on what Prompto wanted out of all of this.

Suddenly, Wiz relaxed and down on the boy from behind the register. "I like you, kid. You're a good one."

Noctis stammered a bit. "T-Thank you, Sir."

Wiz nodded his head in the direction of a large stable some little ways away from the outdoor chocobo pen. "He's in there."

Noctis thanked him again before walking in the designated direction, leaving behind the awkward experience as fast as possible without warping and seeming desperate. At one point, he looked over his shoulder to see I the man was still looking at him.

He was. Noctis walked decidedly faster.

Once he reached the stables, he pushed the large wooden door open, the hinges squeaking and groaning loudly as he did so. All of the chocobos noticed as he entered the building, and a lot of little "Kweh!"s sounded out throughout the room. He scanned the room for a bit, but didn't see the omega he had come for. Tentatively, he called out, "…Prom? You here?"

Prompto's eyes cracked open at the sound of his name and he sat up, stretching his muscles as he did so. Sleeping on hay and a hard-wooden floor was _not nearly_ as good as sleeping on a bed in the castle, that's for sure.

"Prompto? Hey, you here, man? Come out!" Prompto's eyes flew open wide and he made a surprised squeaking noise before moving slowly to peer over the edge of the floor. Sure enough, there was the prince, walking around the stable and visibly searching for him. He heard Noctis quietly curse himself before adding, "I mean, _please_ come out. Only if you want to." The prince shifted awkwardly on his feet as his head turned every which way, in search of his love. "I mean- It would be cool if you came out. But, if you don't want to see me, that's be cool too, I guess. Well, not _cool,_ but. Okay. Yeah. Um… You here at all?"

The alpha was clearly nervous and rambling and it set Prompto's heart into overdrive in it's chest. His eyes roamed over Noctis, in his form-fitting jeans and white t-shirt with a black jacket on above it. The jacket had a blue caricature of a behemoth on the back. He also wore a thin silver necklace and a watch around his wrist. He looked incredibly casual, but he was handsome and _there_ , and Prompto hadn't seen the boy in days. He could already feel his body wanting to be next to the alpha, to be wrapped in those arms. It almost alarmed him how much his physical self was craving the prince, but he figured he'd get used to the inner omega in him eventually.

Noctis sighed and turned to walk back outside. Maybe Wiz was lying for Prompto? Maybe the boy wasn't there at all? Or maybe he had just missed him? He was almost at the door when he heard the blonde call his name from somewhere above him. "Yeah. I'm here."

Prompto sat up a bit more, trying to run his hands through the mess of feathers and tangles that was his hair. He probably looked even more like a chocobo now, and the thought mortified him. Here Noctis was, looking like a fucking _snack_ , and there was Prompto, covered in feathers, clothes wrinkled from sleeping in them, muscles achy from the floor, and he probably smelt like bird. Of all the times to see Noctis again after almost fucking him, now was _not_ the best one. But he couldn't just let the man walk away, thinking he didn't want to be seen.

That wasn't true at all. On the contrary, Prompto found himself wanting to see Noctis more than anything.

Noctis' eyes flew upward, and he noticed the small square of a second floor, tall ladder leading up to it. His eyes met Prompto's and the other blushed and looked away from them for a moment before regaining his courage and holding the prince's stare. Noctis felt like he couldn't breathe for a moment as he looked over the blonde for the first time in what felt like forever.

Prompto looked absolutely adorable, eyes still glossy with the last remnants of sleep, hair messy and tousled, shirt riding halfway up one of his side, exposing the delicate, freckled skin. And the way the omega was biting his lip out of whatever emotion he was feeling was quickly making Noctis wish he could kiss it. It made Noctis remember how Prompto had looked on the night his heat started, but he quickly pushed those thoughts aside before something else came up. The boy looked a fucking _mess_ , but he still looked so _gorgeous_. How did he do it?

Noctis cleared his throat and let out a breathy, "Hey."

"Hello, yourself." Prompto shot back with a wonderfully convincing false-confidence.

"Um. So. This is where you work?"

The omega nodded. "Yeah…" There was a long silence. This was so awkward. Why was it so awkward? "Want me to show you around?"

The prince nodded, a little too enthusiastically. "Yeah, that'd be nice. I'd like that."

"Okay. Well… Cool."

"Yeah." There was the silence again. All this time, they never didn't have things to say to one another. But now of all times, words were hard to find. "I'll be down here. Um. Waiting." Noctis jabbed a finger over his shoulder, pointing outside of the stable and Prompto nodded.

"Okay. I'll be down in a sec."

Noctis left and Prompto carefully climbed down and tried one final time to make something nice of his hair and clothes. It was unsuccessful. When he exited the stable, Noctis was waiting for him, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets, gazing at him through dark bangs with his head cocked to the side. Prompto's heart leapt for a second. _Damn_ , those eyes could do things to him. But he visibly shook his head to dissipate the growing thoughts, Wiz's warning of slick coming back to him. No, he did _not_ want to ruin his clothes with _that_ , thank you very much.

The omega broke the silence first, stepping a bit closer to his prince. "So, um… Where's Iggy and Gladdy?"

Noctis smirked. He had time to regain himself while he was out there, and Prompto was envious beyond belief. "Not here. Just me today."

The blonde returned a small smile of his own, working his way up to his normal composure. "Oh, lucky me. I get you all to myself today." He almost choked after the words left his mouth, though. He did _not_ mean for it to come off as flirty as it did. He watched as Noctis' eyebrows raised a bit and a pink blush work its way onto his pale cheeks.

"Yeah, I guess you _are_ lucky." The alpha shot back, and the only way Prompto could describe the look Noctis was giving him was _bedroom eyes_ and it made his knees feel weak. "What are we going to do first?"

The blonde thought about it for a bit. "Breakfast?"

"Lead the way."

…

Breakfast was not breakfast at all, consisting primarily of fried pickles and some strange green fruit smoothie. It was the oddest combination, but the menu selection was small and so the two of them both dug in anyways. At first, Noctis had made a face and just sat there, sipping on his smoothie and watching Prompto eat until the blonde deadpanned.

"Noct, it doesn't count as a vegetable if it's _fried_! Come on, try a bite! It won't kill you!" The omega teased through a mouth full of food.

The prince eyed the food warily before picking the smallest one he could find up and bringing it to his lips. He took a small bite and chewed it slowly. "It's… okay, I guess." He began easting them a bit more afterwards. Prompto didn't mind. More for him.

Prompto gave Noctis a full tour, taking him to see the racetrack, the baby chocobo petting pen, the grown-up chocobo pen, the feed store, and then finally back to the stables. The blonde perked up when they got to the doors. "I have someone I want you to meet!"

Noctis tilted his head to the side. "…Didn't we start here?"

"Yeah. She's inside."

The prince shrugged and followed his friend inside. Where in the beginning, there were stalls full of chocobos, now there was only one. It was large and fluffy, and stared at Noctis in a way that made him feel uneasy. The bird looked… evil. Prompto merely hoped next to it and wrapped his arms around it's long neck. He smiled at the alpha, all teeth and happiness and it made his heart melt. "This is Missy! She's my favorite chocobo! Missy, this is Noctis. Say hello!"

The chocobo, _Missy_ , he had called her, quirked her head sideways. "Kweh."

The prince didn't know why _this_ bird in particular was the favorite. She seemed to be the same as all the others. Still, he would play along. "Okayyy…" Noctis sang as he took a step toward the bird, his hand outstretched in an attempt to pet her. He retracted his hand in pain as the bird delivered a harsh peck to the back of it. "Ow! That the hell?!"

"Sorry, Noct. I forgot to tell you... She's kind of picky about who she likes." Prompto furrowed his brows and crossed his arms over his chest, turning his attention on the animal. "Missy, we don't bite friends! What do you say…?"

"Kweh."

The blonde smiled. "See? She says she's sorry!"

Noctis glared at her. "She's a bird. She doesn't know what she's saying."

Prompto shook his head. "Poor Noctis… I can see why you don't make may friends."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Prompto just laughed and shook his head. "Don't sweat it. I'm only playing." Noctis still pouted, but he mostly got over it who could be upset while looking at a smile like that?

"So, um… What else is there to look at?"

"Nothing, really. I showed you everything I could think of… What would _you_ like to do?"

Noctis smiled. He spent half the morning indulging in things Prompto liked, and now it was his turn to show the blonde _his_ interests. "I want to show you something, too. Come on. Follow me."

Prompto barely had time to react as the prince took him gently by the hand, tugging him out of the stables and down a hiking trail through the woods. The walk was somewhat long, and the farther away from other people they got, the harder the omega's heart beat in his chest. Not too long into the journey, he realized where the prince was taking him. His guess was only solidified at the trees got scarcer and his sky-blue eyes rested upon the small lake that sat a few yards ahead of them.

This was it. The place they had first met.

Noctis turned to glance over his shoulder at his retainer and the smile he offered had Prompto unconsciously squeezing the prince's hand. Prompto was nervous. Very nervous. The memory od Noctis' eyes blown with lust and the speed in which he had chased him down came to memory and his mouth watered a bit. They were all alone. He could do _anything_ to him, and the notion had blood racing to equal parts face and cock.

But the omega was pleasantly (or, not so pleasantly?) surprised when Noctis let his hand go at the end of the dock and summoned a long fishing rod to his hands. The omega deadpanned. "Fishing?"

Noctis smiled. "Well, yeah. You showed me your favorite thing today, so I thought I'd show you mine as well." The alpha tool off his socks and shoes before rolling up his jeans to his knees and sitting on the edge of the dock, his feet dipping into the cool water. He turned to his friend and patted the spot next to him. "Here. Sit down. It's easy, I'll show you."

Prompto nodded before following suit, taking off his socks and shoes before rolling up his own pants and taking the spot next to the prince.

"Okay. So. First, you pick your lure and your line. Which ones you choose depends on what type of fish you're going for." The prince hooked a lure up to the line and placed the rod into his retainer's hands, covering them with his own. Prompto blushed a bit at the closeness, but tried to maintain his composure, even as Noctis' scent flooded him and made him feel giddy and light-headed. The boy smelled so _good_. "Then, you just cast your line- like this." Noctis guided Prompto to cast the line and smiled when the lure landed in just the right location, an area of the pond littered with underwater vegetation. "Fish love to hide. So, _this_ area will be best."

Prompto nodded and inwardly frown when the prince's body warmth left as he retracted his hands and went back to sitting a respectable distance away from the blonde. "So… What now?"

"You wait."

"Wait? For how long?"

Noctis shrugged, a playful smile on his lips as he stared out into the serene waters. "Dunno. However long it takes to catch something, I suppose."

Prompto outwardly frowned that time. "Sounds boring."

"Haha… Yeah, I guess it is, huh?" The alpha laughed softly. "Not for me. I love it. It's nice and quiet. No one telling you what to do or where to be or how to act… Just me and the fish. Gives you time to think, you know?"

Prompto thought about that for a bit. "Yeah, I guess that does sound nice…" The alpha hummed in agreement before suggesting the reel in the line every so often to keep the fish interested. "What do you think about when you fish?"

Noctis leaned over slightly, his shoulder just barely grazing Prompto's and the minimal contact alone gave him goosebumps. "Hmmm… Hard to say. It depends on what's going on, I suppose."

Prompto rubbed his lips together and swallowed. "…what are you thinking about right now, then…?" He could see his friend turn his head to face him, and his hands trembled a little beneath his gaze. He didn't know what possessed him to ask the question, but there it was, and he couldn't take it back.

Noctis licked his lips and hesitated on the answer. There was clearly only one thing on his mind, then only thing that had been on his mind for a long tie now. But he didn't know if voicing it would scare the blonde away. Still, he came out here for a reason. And he couldn't chicken out now. "…You."

The omega almost dropped the rod in his hand and he turned to look at Noctis directly. He was taken aback by how much raw emotion that shown through those stormy blue eyes. Noctis was looking at him with such a sincere, loving expression, but it was mixed with a slight hesitation and unsureness that had Prompto wanting to kiss away the boy's worries. The fishing completely, forgotten, his eyes darted over the alpha's features before he bit his lip. "…Yeah…?" He didn't know _how_ he found the courage to press onwards, but he did, the trembling of his hands threatening to spread up his arms as he did so. "…What _about_ me?"

Noctis gave the sweetest, most genuine smile and he slowly moved a hand up to cup one side of Prompto's face, giving the omega plenty of time to refuse it if he wanted, but no resisting came. If anything, the boy leaned into the warmth of it, letting out a small sigh. It made Noctis' heart flutter. "What _not_ about you, you mean? I'm always thinking about you, Prom…" He watched the freckled boy's eyes search his face probably for any traces of a lie. Too bad for him, there were no lies to be found. "Where should I even _begin…_? I love everything about you. I love your crazy, messy hair, I love your eyes, and how I can get lost in them forever. Sometimes, I actually wish I _could_ …" He watched as a blush began to cover the soft freckles of the omega's cheeks and nose, and Noctis let the thumb of his hand trace over Prompto's bottom lip. "…I love your lips, the way you taste, the way you smell. I love the sound of your voice and especially the way you say my name…" He could see his friend's adams apple bob with his swallow. "…I love your bubbly personality and how you never fail to make me laugh. I love how genuine you are, how caring you are…"

Prompto tore his eyes away, unable to maintain his alpha's intense stare, biting his lip. "Noct, I- " He was sure his face was as red as a tomato, his neck and chest as well, probably. He felt entirely too self-conscious, despite the words of affection the man was throwing at him. His heart felt like it was working so hard to pump blood through his system, he could keel over any minute.

Noctis brought his other hand up to cup the other side of the omega's face and steered the boy's head back to face him again. It wasn't in a rough way, but gentle. Pleading wordlessly for him to stay, to not shy away from the answers he was seeking, to finally listen to how he felt after all this time. "I love _you_ , Prompto. Just you. _All_ of you." Their eyes met again and Prompto noticed the more than light blush on his prince's face, the man's breathes slightly more labored than before, nerves threatening to take him over. It was evident that Noctis _cared_ , that he was _nervous_ , that he was scared of the possible rejection, just the same as he was. The emotion in his eyes and his tone was raw and genuine. It made him want to cry. "…I had to tell you. I can't stand not saying it anymore."

Noctis leaned his head to rest against Prompto's their foreheads touching. "Noctis, I… I _told_ you, I _can't_! _Luna_ , she- "

The alpha shook his head and wiped away a tear with his thumb as it fell from the boy's eye. "She knows. We talked about it. We have her blessing… it's okay. She _wants_ us to be together."

Prompto tried to stop more tears from falling. How could that _be_? Everything seemed too good to be true. Noctis _loved_ him, was _professing_ his love for him, and he was saying everything Prompto never thought he would ever hear from _anyone_ , and now there was nothing holding the two of them back from being together. It was like a dream come true, and it felt like too much and not enough at the same time. Overwhelming and like the world had stopped at the same time.

"Prompto…" Noctis' voice was quiet and loving and when Prompto opened his eyes to meet the prince's once more, he was surprised to see that they were so close, the alpha's lips close enough to ghost over Prompto's. the omega clutched onto the handle of the rod of dear life. He didn't think he could move his hands anywhere else, even if he wanted to, the limbs seeming numb and tingly. "…I want you to be my mate. My one and only, for all eternity… Would you accept me…? Would you be my omega, Prom..?"

Noctis held his breath in anticipation, and Prompto could feel his friend's hands trembling against his cheeks. Prompto couldn't say anything, so many emotions flowing through him all at once for him to even begin to sort out what he would say. Forgoing any verbal answer, he leaned forward, closing the almost-nonexistent distance between them with a kiss.

It was slow, hesitant, shaky. Prompto pressed his lips against Noctis' firmly, gently presses and shy brushes of tongue, trying his best to convey his feelings through it despite how shook he was to react completely. Noctis closed his eyes and sighed, kissing back with a hot, desperate intensity that left them both breathless by the end of it.

Just then the rod was almost tugged completely out of the blonde's hands, and the boy jumped at the sensation, clutching it tighter. The handle was spinning out of control, the line going farther out into the water. He sat up straighter as he watched it all. "Wha- What's happening?! What do I do?!"

Noctis took a few intakes of breath before jumping into action. "You got a fish! It's swimming farther out, taking the line with it! Reel it in!" Prompto did as he was told, the fish struggling against the intake of the line, straining it and causing the blonde to stand up, trying more adamantly to reel it in. "Turn the rod towards the direction it's swimming! When the line has too much tension, it can break, so don't reel for a bit when that happens! You could snap the line!" Prompto nodded and did as he was told, eventually getting the fish right in front of them, at the end of the dock. Finally, Prompt reeled the fish out of the water, grinning widely at Noctis.

It wasn't the _biggest_ fish, but it had put up a good fight and the omega was proud of himself. "Whatcha think, Noct? Good catch, or what?" The blonde asked.

Noctis took the rod from his friend's hands, unhooking the fish and admiring it for a bit. "Not bad for your first one.", he commented before throwing it back into the lake and allowing his fishing pole to disappear back into his Armiger. Prompto let out a little squeak of surprise as Noctis wrapped his arms around his waist, pulling him in close to place a few gentle kisses along his neck and whisper into his ear, " _You're_ the best catch there is, though."

There is was again, that heart-pounding, weak-knees, lightheaded sensation Prompto was feeling before they were so rudely interrupted by sports. He swallowed. "Noct?" The prince continued to lay little kisses along his neck and jaw, rubbing little circles into his waist. He hummed in response. "…Did you really mean it..? That you want me to be your mate… Forever..?"

Noctis pulled back and kissed him once on the lips before meeting his eyes. "I've never wanted anything more in my entire life… If you'll have me."

The omega smiled and grasped his alpha's shirt in his hands, pulling the man in closer for another deep, desperate clash of lips, before pulling back to whisper, "I want to be your omega, Noct." Against the prince's lips.

Noctis smiled and picked the boy up, spinning him around and around. Prompto laughed and clung to him tightly as he did so. When the alpha finally put his omega down, he held him tightly, not wanting to let go. But the sun would be setting soon, and they couldn't stay out there forever. Sighing, Noctis kissed Prompto's forehead. "We have to leave soon… Gladio and Iggy will beat my ass if I'm not back in time for dinner…"

Prompto nodded, resting his head on his alpha's shoulder. "Okay… Just let me say goodbye to Wiz first. I don't want to leave him like I did the last time.

"Okay. We can do that." They broke away, except for their hands in one another's, as they made their way through the forest back towards the ranch, Noctis leading the way once again. After a while of silence, the prince spoke up. "So… Would you like to… hang out with me tonight, after dinner…?"

The omega smiled and squeezed his lover's hand a little tighter in his own. "Video games?" He asked.

The shade of the trees did nothing to hide the blush that crept un the prince's neck to the tips of his ears. "Yeah, that sounds good. Or, you know… We could try… _other_ things… If you want…" He offered, not daring to chance a look at his omega. He squeezed Prompto's hand back.

Oh.

 _Oh_.

Heat pooled in the blonde's stomach and travelled lower at the thought, and a blush of his own crept onto his features. "…It's a date."

Noctis chuckled. "Like _this_ wasn't one, already?"


	23. Chapter 22

Noctis gave Prompto all the time he needed to say goodbye to Wiz and some of the chocobos, even digging the omega's camera out of the regalia to allow him a few snapshots. It was a little scratched up and scuffed from their last battle, a little dented even, but it worked all the same and the look on the boy's face when he received it made Noctis's heart flutter. Oh, yeah. It was _definitely_ worth it, buying that camera.

Prompto took selfie after selfie, and even had his prince take a couple of the shots for him. Wiz received the polaroid copies, and the blonde saved the originals onto the SD card to blow-up and frame later. After all of the goodbyes were said, they walked hand-in-hand to the car and began their journey back to the citadel.

Once they were off the dirt roads and back onto the main ones, Prompto sighed happily, bringing the camera to his face and glancing through his memories once more, as if he didn't just live them five minutes ago. "I thought this camera got smashed like the last one!"

Noctis smiled. "Yeah, so did I. Iggy handed to me before I came down here. Said he found it when they came and rescued us. He thought you'd be happy to see it again."

Prompto hugged the item close to his chest and nodded. "Iggy's the best." The omega made a mental note to do something really special as a thank-you to the beta. His friends were just so wonderful!

"You got your meds?"

"Yeah."

"Did you take them?"

Oh.

No.

No he hadn't.

He'd been too preoccupied with his previous impromptu date and then saying good-bye. Turning towards his alpha, he smiled sheepishly. "…No?" It came out a little higher pitched than he would have liked, something akin to a squeak. And here he thought it'd be easy to remember. But new habits took time to turn into muscle memory, he supposed. He would have to be more careful from now on.

Thankfully, Noctis didn't seem to admonish him. Instead, he looked rather contemplative, the alpha's eyes sparkling with some fresh idea. "You gotta take them at the same time of day, every day, right...?"

Prompto nodded. " _Preferably_. The instructions say it works best that way, anyways. Who am I to tell a bottle of pills how it works? I'm no doctor."

Noctis snorted at that. "So, I'm assuming you need some form of an _alarm_ to remind you to take them? Would that help?"

The blonde nodded. "That would be awesome, yeah!"

The prince smiled and gave his retainer a side-long glance before taking the boy's hand in his own. Prompto watched as Noctis placed a delicate kiss to the back of his freckled hand and his face morphed into a lopsided grin. He felt giddy, _overjoyed_ , with the simple notion. "I have an idea, then. But it's gonna require a slight… detour. Ignis will probably scold me for taking so long to get back, _buuut_ … I think it'll be for a good cause." Noctis offered the blonde a smirk before returning the hand to its rightful owner.

Prompto quirked his head in interest. "Yeah? And where will we be going?"

"First, Kenny's. You need something to wash those pills down with, and I'm parched." Welp. He couldn't argue _that_. "Afterwards? …You'll see. It'll be a surprise."

Prompto merely shrugged and settled a little further into the hot leather of his seat, willingly turning himself over to whatever plans Noctis had in store for him. He'd go to the ends of the Earth for his prince, after all.

…

It didn't take long for them to reach the restaurant, and Prompto sat in the car while the prince went inside and emerged a few minutes later with two bottles of ice cold Jetty's. The omega unscrewed the cap and drank from it generously before popping the suppressants and birth control into his mouth all at once and casing it down with the remainder of the bottle. Noctis just kept his in one of the cup-holders, sipping from it idly every once in a while, as he continued to drive.

Prompto found himself unable to look away from his alpha for most of the ride back into Insomnia's walls, often taking his camera out to snap a couple of secret shots. Sometimes Noctis caught what he was trying to do, and he'd make a wide range of faces for the blonde to snap a photo of. Some silly, some serious, and a few flirty ones that did _things_ to Prompto. The man was just so _handsome_ and photogenic! Prompto was having so much fun, he didn't realize they had pulled into the parking lot of a large electronics store until the prince shut the engine off and began to exit the vehicle.

Noctis walked around the front of the car and opened Prompto's door for him, bowing and extending a hand for his lover to take. " _My Prince_." The alpha greeted, a slightly playful tone in his voice. Prompto couldn't help but think that he had sounded a little like Ignis.

The retainer laughed as he took the offered hand and allowed himself to be pulled out of his seat. " _Prince_? Hardly!" He snorted, giving his chosen mate a playful shove on the chest.

Noctis just took his hand again and led him inside, smirking. Hand-holding seemed to be something the prince enjoyed doing, Prompto mentally noted. It wasn't like he was going to complain. After touch-starving himself from his friend, the constant contact was welcomed. Maybe Noctis was feeling the same way too.

"Get used to it. Once we bond, everyone will have to call you _Prince Prompto_. You'll be part of the royal family at that point, after all. You'll probably have to pose for an official portrait and everything. It's gonna _suck_ , trust me."

Prompto's eyes grew wide with realization. "Oh. You're right! I'm gonna be _royalty_!" He would have laughed at the overplayed cinderalla-esque trope he seemed to have gotten himself into, but honestly? He was a little terrified at the prospect. Ok, maybe more than a little terrified. Maybe more like _absolutely, unshakably_ terrified. He didn't know the first thing about how to be anything _remotely_ akin to royal. He didn't know how to bow properly, how to walk, how to talk, what spoon to eat his soup with, which hand to shake other hands with, or even the names of _anyone_ important other than immediate royal family and their retainers or kingsglaive.

Noctis could smell the other boy's worries and rubbed little circles over the back of the omega's hand with his thumb. "Don't stress it. It honestly isn't that big of a deal. Everyone will still expect _me_ to be the perfect one. You'll pretty much get a free pass because you didn't grow up as royalty. If you make a mistake, I _guarantee_ you most people probably won't care... after a week or so, anyways." He chuckled, "So use whatever fork you want to eat your nasty salads with."

Prompto allowed himself a small smile at the joke. "Haha. Yeah… I suppose you're right." The smile quickly left his face as he decided to look around he electronics store. Everyone's eyes were on the two of them. Some people whispering amongst themselves and pointing. He felt uneasy. He leaned in a little closer to his alpha as they walked, speaking to him in a whisper. " _Uh… Noct_?"

"Yeah?" The prince seemed hopelessly oblivious to it all, quirking an eyebrow at the omega's whispering.

"…Everyone still thinks you're engaged to be mated with Lunafreya, right…?"

"Yeah…? We haven't come up with a way to tell the public yet."

"Then…. Should we be holding hands so… _openly_? People are _staring_ and talking about us…"

Noctis looked around and quickly realized the same thing Prompto had. "Damn it…" Reluctantly, _very_ reluctantly, he nodded and released his lover's hand slowly. "Yeah… Sorry." The prince offered in a huff of a pout.

"It's okay... No need to apologize."

There really _was_ no reason to apologize, after all. They couldn't help the situation they were in. But that still didn't stop Prompto from frowning at the loss of contact. Noctis' hand was so warm and right inside of his own, and Prompto's skin felt cold in comparison. He longed for the ability to be openly affectionate with his new love, but it would naturally have to wait. For how long, neither of them knew. But it had to be done.

The omega did his best to keep up with how fluidly his alpha was weaving his way through groups of shoppers and shelves of items. He seemed to know exactly where to go, while Prompto was slightly lost in it all. Everywhere he looked there were cases and shelves of various electronics that he couldn't even begin to fathom the use of. All shining plastic and lit-up touch screens. Finally, they stopped at a corner of the building that had long, glass cases full of various phones of all brands and colors.

The blonde's eyes widened and sparkled, and he whipped his head over to look at Noctis, finally understanding why they were there and what they were getting. " _For real_?! You're getting me a _phone_?!"

Noctis grinned and wanted more than anything to be able to kiss his adorable omega right there in the middle of the store, but he held himself back, choosing instead to barely brush his knuckles over the other's in a hopefully-casual-seeming way that hopefully no one took too much interest in.

Hopefully.

"A regular alarm clock won't due for your needs. What if you aren't in your bedroom when it's time to take your meds? You'd be _screwed_ if you don't happen to remember! If you have a phone, you'd have an alarm with you at all times." He smiled at his own clever idea. "Also, you know, it'd be nice to talk to you whenever I want, if you happen to be going on secret sleepovers with birds behind my back again."

Prompto shook his head in equal parts disbelief for how adorably endearing his prince could be and admiration for the same reason. "Ah, I see. You just want to keep tabs on me, then?" The omega chuckled and placed his hands on his hips, giving the man a playful accusatory look.

The alpha shrugged. "It'd make me feel better if you had a way to contact us and vice versa. You know, for whenever you decide to engage more wild animals in death matches."

Prompto snorted. "Okay."

The process of getting the phone was quick and simple, way easier than Prompto would have thought. Noctis bought Prompto the same kind of phone he and his other retainers already had. He added the new phone to their pre-existing plan and payed for it with a thick, heavy-feeling, platinum-colored debit card that the woman at the register awed at. She handed Prompto the bag with their purchase in it and bid them farewell, and soon they were back in the regalia, heading home.

Prompto held the rectangular piece of electronic plastic in his hands and played with a few of the features like he had any clue what he was doing. He glanced at the prince beside him and his heart soared. How ever did he get _this_ lucky? What God or Goddess did he please enough to be allowed such a happiness? Such a perfect mate?

They stopped at a red light and when Noctis looked over to his lover, he was surprised to see that the boy was already staring at him with an unwavering intensity that sent heat straight to his dick. Before he could even intrigue as to why the other boy was staring at him, what he could have been thinking about, Prompto's voice sounded out, melodic and warm. "Noct. Do me a favor and put the top up for a sec? I need to do something."

Noctis was confused, but he complied, pressing a button on the dashboard that sent the top slowly over their heads, locking into place and shading them from the sun through slightly tinted windows that had raised up along with it. He didn't understand what the blonde had to do that required the top to be up. It wasn't raining or anything. He wanted to ask, but the omega's hands were at the collar of his jacket, bringing him in for a kiss.

It was unexpected, but slow and passionate, eliciting a sharp gasp from the prince that the omega took full advantage of, delving into the other's mouth to stroke and tease Noctis' tongue with his own in a way that had a low, wonton moan come from the alpha to rumble through the two of their mouths. If the look Prompto was giving him earlier didn't rouse his dick, _that_ sure did, the half-hard member twitching in his jeans with interest. The prince couldn't even fully register Prompto's mouth on his quickly enough to kiss back in earnest before his omega was already pulling back. A satisfied smirk formed on the blonde's freckled face, a thumb wiping some lingering saliva off of the corner of his mouth. All Noctis could do was stare at the boy, dumbfounded, as the light turned green and the cars behind them were honking relentlessly with the car's lack of motion. He jumped and continued to drive, offering the citizens behind him an apologetic wave of his hand out the window.

"What was _that_ for?" He asked, trying to sound less breathless than he really was, but failing miserably as the air left his lugs in heavy bursts. He could still feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest from the leftover adrenaline.

Prompto just leaned back in his seat, looking forward at the traffic and smiling a lazy smile. "Just because I love you."

Suddenly, it all made sense why the man had wanted the top up. It had been to shield their actions from the other people driving around them. At least a bit. Noctis blushed and adjusted his posture in his seat, trying to make his pants feel a little less tight in the crotch area. Clearing his throat, he offered, "Remind me to buy you expensive things more often."

The blonde laughed and swatted his lover's arm playfully. "Shut up."

…

Noctis found himself getting frustrated surprisingly easily since making it back into Insomnia. _Incredibly_ easily, seeing as all he wanted to do was openly show affection to the boy walking a few steps behind him, but he _couldn't_. It didn't matter _what_ kind of affection. Brushing up against one another, holding hands, whispering things only they would hear, hugging, running fingers through the other's hair, gentle brushes of lips against skin, _anything_. He wanted it so bad that his body practically _ached_ for it, but he didn't dare act on it. If he did, it would all be over. People would talk, the mending alliance with Altissia would unravel, and he'd be in disappointed dad hell. There might even be massive backlash from the citizens. They might call him he worst King in Insomnian history before he even had a chance to actually _be_ the king.

No, that was something Noctis needed to avoid at all costs.

So he held it in. Kept up the aloof attitude and lazy body language as they made the walk from the car to the Citadel, through many immaculate rooms and hallways filled with kingsglaive, maids, council members, and various other people who worked for the crown, until they finally made it to the elevator that would take them to the floor that contained the familiar training room they all knew so intimately.

Naturally, Noctis was already an introvert for the most part. He despised being in crowded places or around lots of people. They were always too loud, too grating on his nerves. They always treated him like something to be worshipped instead of an actual person. He would rather hole himself up in his room and play video games or hang out with Ignis and Gladiolus, usually. Two of the few people in the world he actually _liked_ being around. But now? Oh, now it was feeling _so much_ _worse_.

None of the people in the citadel were saying anything to him aside from a few polite bows or short greetings in passing. Hell, none of them were even close enough to touch him, let alone engage him in anything he'd rather avoid. But the presence of other people was taking on a new meaning entirely. The more people around, the less he could act how he wanted around his soon-to-be mate. The less he could even touch him. And it was agonizingly frustrating. He didn't even really know why. It had never been like this before, when Prompto was supposedly a beta. Perhaps it was his inner alpha calling out for his omega. Since Prompto hadn't physically been claimed yet, maybe his body was just telling him to do it and get it over with so no one else could try.

Noctis pressed the button to call the elevator and waited. It was quiet, except for the murmurs of idle conversation around them, and Noctis' ears were acutely tuned in to the soft humming Prompto was doing next to him. Some random tune that the blonde had probably come up with on the spot. It was adorable. _Everything_ Prompto did was adorable, and he tapped his foot repeatedly against the floor to distract himself from the growing urge to pull the boy closer and dominate him in any way possible.

To be honest, his urges were scaring him a bit. He'd never do anything Prompto didn't want. He _knew_ that. But the idea was beginning to seem more and more appealing the more he thought about it.

The elevator doors opened with a quiet whirring noise and they entered it single-file, Prompto first and Noctis following closely after. The prince's finger found the proper button that would take them to their destination and he was on pins and needles until the doors finally closed, shutting out prying eyes, and gravity shifted with the ride's direction.

All that stood between them was nothing.

He turned to face his omega, walking up to him and placing his hands on the boy's hips. Prompto jumped a little at the sudden contact, his bright face contorting into a curious anticipation as Noctis guided him backwards until he was cornered, his freckled back against the cold steel of the wall and his front pressing gently against Noctis' as the man closed the gap between their bodies. The way the blonde gasped and bit his lower lip had Noctis' ears ringing. Prompto looked something like a deer caught in the headlights, but in a _good_ way, and it made his blood run hotter in his veins.

He kissed the corner of Prompto's mouth, along his jaw, and down his neck. He felt his omega shiver and press up to meet every touch, taking a sharp inhale of breath and turning his head slightly to give Noctis more room to work with. Noctis' hands travelled from the omega's hips, up to his shoulders, down his arms, to finally wrap his fingers around delicate wrists and bring them up, pinning them to either side of the blonde's head against the wall. The hold wasn't tight, wasn't rough. He was careful to pin his friend without making him feel helpless.

Noctis nipped playfully at Prompto's pulse and inhaled his scent deeply. He hadn't smelled Prompto properly since he had come to his room, and he had missed it desperately, like the very oxygen he needed to survive. And even like this, with his body so close and his skin beneath his lips, he could barely get a whiff of the sweet scent of peaches and honeysuckle that was unique to Prompto. Noctis knew it was because of the suppressants. There was no helping what the omega had to do to protect himself, but Noctis found himself wishing he simply just… _wouldn't_ take them. He wanted the retainer's smell to envelope him, cover him, _drown_ him, and he wanted to do the same thing back. He wanted to stay so close to the blonde that no one would be able to figure out who's smell was whose.

The thought was stupid and selfish, clearly. And he'd never ask his friend to do it. But maybe, _just maybe_ , the sooner he bonded them, the sooner he wouldn't _need_ the suppressants anymore. No one would touch the prince's mate, _surely_. No one who wanted to stay _alive_ , anyways. Maybe he'd bring the idea up to Prompto later.

"…Noct?" His name came out in a breathy whisper, and the alpha raised his head from Prompto's neck to meet his lover's eyes, swimming with equal parts hesitant unsureness and longing. Noctis realized that this all seemed a little out-of-nowhere, probably a little concerning, with how he was pinning the omega to the wall and taking in his scent like it was the very source of his lifeforce.

Noctis placed a chaste kiss on Prompto's lips before drawing back a little. "Sorry… Can we… Just for a little bit…?" He punctuated each part with more little kisses. Hopefully Prompto would get what he was trying to say.

Lucky for the prince, Prompto seemed to understand what the alpha was asking for just fine. The blonde laughed under his breath and leaned his head in, brushing their lips together. He could feel Noctis' exhale and the way his body pressed closer to his own. "Of course."

Noctis's hands moved from Prompto's wrists to lace their fingers together against the wall and Prompto held on for dear life as his prince's mouth descended on his own.

…

Ignis glanced at his wristwatch for what was probably the fiftieth time in the last ten minutes and grumbled. "They're late."

Gladiolus rolled his eyes behind the novel he was reading. "What's new?", the shield retorted, his voice monotone. "Really, you should have expected this, considering what's going down today."

"I _did_ expect it. But I can't just allow myself to be behind schedule in the hopes that our prince will be as well. What if he actually arrived on time, and _I_ was the one who was late? Do you know how _foolish_ I'd look? Noctis would never let me live it down."

"You need to relax, Specs. I'm sure they're on their way."

They were standing on either side of the hallway, directly in front of the elevator, awaiting Noctis and Prompto's arrival. Gladiolus had wanted to wait in the training room, to go ahead and practice without the boys, but Ignis had refused. He said it would be rude to start without them. The shield saw right through the advisor, though. Ignis would never admit it, but he was worried. Antsy. The man hadn't been able to sit still since Noctis sped off in the regalia towards their fellow retainer. The alpha could tell that it was obviously about Noctis. Or Prompto. One of the two.

"What do you think Prompto said?" Gladiolus mused aloud, licking his finger to turn to the next page in his book.

"Excuse me?"

"You know- when Noctis confessed. Do you think he said yes?"

Ignis sighed and shifted his weight on his feet. "Seeing how nothing seems to go my way, he probably agreed to being Noctis' mate. And _enthusiastically_ , at that, if I had to guess."

"You happy for them?"

Ignis scoffed. "I like seeing Noctis happy. I think we can _both_ agree on that. But…"

"…But?" Gladiolus peered over the top of his book, giving his friend a look that said, ' _Spit it out already_.'.

Shooting a half-hearted glare at the impatient look, the beta continued, " _But_ , I can't help but worry for Prompto. Neither of them are exactly… _patient_. As you know, our prince is rather impulsive. I can't help but wonder if- "

" -if they've already bitten each other?", Gladiolus finished the retainer's sentence for him

Ignis nodded. "Precisely."

The shield folded the page he was on and shut his book. "Does it matter? They're going to do it whether we tell them to or not, right? That's how they got into this mess in the first place! Doing what we don't want them to do."

"I don't think you fully realize how that could affect things, Gladiolus." The beta's hand went up to press between his eyes, at the bridge of his nose. "If anyone sees those marks, and word gets out, Altissia will be in a frenzy, not to mention Insomnia. The residents of Altissia will probably feel insulted and pressure Queen Sylva into waging a war. Not only that, but Prompto would be the center of much unwanted attention, and I don't know if he'd be able to handle bring the source of so much negative gossip…"

The alpha frowned. "That would be bad."

"Indeed… If it hasn't _already_ happened, we need to advise Noctis and Prompto to hold off. Wait until we've come up with a plan."

"You think they _will_?" Gladiolus quirked a brow and crossed his arms over his chest. They both knew the answer to that.

"…One can only hope." Ignis offered with a weak voice and an equally weak shrug.

"Hey, there's still the possibility that Prompto said _no._ " A beat of silence passed as they stared at one another and as if on que by some sick and twisted karma, that's when the whirring of the elevator sounded, signaling that the doors were about to open.

…

" _Ah-!_ " Prompto's cry was muffled by Noctis' mouth once more as the prince ground his hips again against his omega's, causing that delicious friction that only further ignited the fire beneath their skin. Noctis growled into the kiss, reveling in the taste of him and coaxing his lover's tongue into his mouth so that he could suck on it.

Prompto moaned and writhed beneath him, his head tilting back and falling against the wall behind him with a hard thud, giving the alpha more room to work with within his mouth. He could feel the prince's growing erection pressing into his inner thigh, so hot it was practically burning him, and Prompto shivered before melting into his captor. His hands were still being held on either side of his head and it was equal parts exhilarating and frustrating.

Noctis' attention shifted from the boy's mouth to his clavicle and he sucked, eliciting another needy moan and a barely-suppressed buck of the hips from his chosen mate. The prince smirked as he kissed the little hickey he had just made and he brought his mouth to the blonde's ear and whispered in a deep voice laced with lust, " _Gods_ , I love you."

Prompto whined when his lover took the lobe of his ear into his mouth and pulled on it with his teeth. His chest was heaving, and he could feel an uncomfortable wetness beginning to leak out from between his cheeks. "I love you, too- But- Noct, maybe we should- stop now. We gotta be close- to our floor, right?" The omega panted out against Noctis' shoulder.

" _Who cares_? It isn't like Iggy and Gladio are waiting at the _elevator door_ or something. Come on, what are the odds of _that_ happening?" Noctis caught the unmistakable smell of slick in his nose and he bit his lip, suppressing another growl as he released his lover's hands, choosing instead to grip Prompto's ass, grinding into him again, roughly.

Prompto's hands fell to rest on Noctis' arms and his nails dug into the skin there, his eyes fluttering closed as another moan tore from his throat at the sensation. He rested his head on his prince's shoulder, panting out shuddering breaths as the man kneaded his ass through his jeans. Gods, he was so _hard_ , and the slick was only getting _worse_. He could feel it between his cheeks, oozing down his thighs and wetting the fabric of his pants, causing the denim to cling to his skin.

So much for not wanting to ruin his clothes.

One of Noctis' hands came up to tangle in blonde locks and Prompto's head was pulled back, leaving him open for Noctis to crash his lips down on his once more, devouring him. The omega clung to his alpha for dear life, absolutely melting beneath him, arching his back as fingertips danced up his spine. The omega's own hands ventured down Noctis' chest, gliding over ribs and stomach through the man's shirt until his finger hooked over the waistline of the prince's jeans, tugging and wordlessly begging Noctis to continue rocking those hips into him again.

He didn't know how this had went from a gentle, loving, secret make-out session to a heated, hungry, all-encompassing act of barely-contained sexual desire, but Prompto wasn't complaining. And if the moans and growls of possession that left Noctis' lips, neither was the prince. But really, they should have restrained themselves, at least a little. They should have payed more attention to their surroundings, but it all went unnoticed and uncared for, even when gravity shifted, and the elevator stopped. The doors opened with a quiet whirring.

…

The doors opened and Ignis almost choked on air as the indecent sight of Noctis dry-humping Prompto in the corner of the elevator came into view. A thick wall of arousal and slick hit him, and his brows furrowed as a blush rose to his cheeks. This was _certainly_ not what he was expecting to see right off the bat.

Gladiolus merely shrugged and gave the advisor a smirk. "So much for saying 'no', am I right?"

Ignis rolled his eyes at the man and cleared his throat loud enough to grab Noctis' and Prompto's attention. "Is _this_ what the kids do nowadays when they love each other, Gladio? Whatever happened to wining and dining?"

"Hey, _I_ don't mind. But next time, Noct, if you're going to give a show, you should charge. At least _then_ you'd get something out of it other than shame, am I right?", came the shield's input.

Gladiolus bellowed out a laugh as Noctis practically _warped_ backwards and away from his omega, moving so fast after being startled. Prompto let out a loud yelp and turned as red as a tomato under the scrutinizing stare of Ignis and the amused grin of Gladio. ' _Can I die now? Can it be my time already, Gods? Please_?', he pleaded in his mind. He knew it. He _knew_ allowing Noctis to have his way would end up badly.

Noctis discreetly adjusted himself in his pants and turned to face his other two retainers, offering them a sheepish grin with absolutely no hint of any remorse. Who was he kidding, anyways? He'd do it again, if given the chance. "What can I say? He can't keep his hands off me!"

Prompto scoffed and he frantically tried to smooth his clothes over and run his fingers through his now-messy hair, trying desperately to look _some_ form of decent. " _Excuse me_?! You were the one who was _begging_ me for a kiss earlier!"

The alpha laughed and rolled his eyes. "Potato, tomato."

Prompto stepped out of the elevator with a huff. "That's not how that phrase goes."

Noctis followed behind him. "And?"

Ignis shook his head at the two of them. "And here I thought you'd have more decency than that, Noctis…"

Said alpha shrugged. "I guess not."

"In any case, this is the perfect opportunity for a… _chat_."

The prince groaned. He knew that tone. He'd be getting a lecture for sure. " _Uuugh_ … Do we have to do this _now_? Can't we just train and save it for _later_?"

Gladio frowned at the boy. "You know, we _might_ have, if a certain someone was able to actually keep his hands to himself. But, seeing as you are _you_ , no. It's not gonna wait."

Prompto squirmed in place and shifted his eyes between all three of them. The slick covering him was quickly becoming less and less comfortable. "Um… Can I at least change my clothes first, Big Guy…?"

"No. You're gonna sit in it as punishment until training is over."

The omega whined. Maybe he wouldn't do anything nice for his fellow retainers, after all.


	24. Chapter 23

They all gathered into a nearby bathroom for the talk, away from prying ears and other people filtering in or out of the training room. They were careful to check all of the stalls for any signs of occupancy before forming a circle and facing one another. The shield leaned against the door, ensuring it to stay closed if someone were to try and enter. Ignis finally folded his arms and fixed Noctis with a heavy look of disappointment.

"Noctis. All joking aside, what you just did was stupid and reckless, and it was a sight _most_ unbefitting of a future king."

Noctis furrowed his brows and scoffed as he pointed a finger at Prompto. "This is _so_ not fair. Prompto was in on it, too!"

Prompto let out a scoff that matched his prince's, but Ignis held up a hand to silence the two before any retort could be made in his defense. "Let's not kid ourselves here, Noctis. I think we _both_ know who initiated it… Do you deny this?"

No, he couldn't deny it. It was entirely his fault. With a huff, he folded his arms across his chest, looking away from his advisor. "…No."

"That's what I thought." Ignis chided as he adjusted his glasses. His gaze shifted back and worth between the two before settling back on the prince solely. "…Do you have _any_ idea what could have happened if the two of you got caught? If the people on the other side of those elevator doors were your father's _kingsglaive_ instead of Gladiolus and I?"

Noctis didn't reply. He couldn't. He didn't even want to entertain the thought. Prompto looked down to the floor, nails digging into his jeans. _He_ was having _no_ problem imagining the scenario, his mind creating countless enactments in his head. Most of the visions ended with Regis using his alpha influence to make him jump out the nearest window to his death. He could practically _feel_ the wind blowing over him as he fell already.

"They would have told your father, and he would be _outraged_! What if the information got relayed back to Altissia, _hm_? What if Queen Sylva were to discover your little secret union? Sure, _Lunafreya_ may be fine with what the two of you are doing, but that doesn't mean it's okay to act however you like! More than just your relationship hangs in the balance here, Noctis. You could very well start a _war_ with this."

"I _know_ , alright?! I _know_!" Noctis threw his hands up in exasperation before letting them fall to his sides as he scowled at his advisor. "You think I haven't _thought_ about all of this already?! I _know_ I can't get caught!"

Gladio's rough voice came in next, cutting through the brief oppressive silence that fell between his friends. "If you know, then act like it. Grow up. Control your hormones like the alpha you are. You need to do better… for Prompto's sake as well. Did you ever think about what would happen not only to our nation, but to _him_?" Noctis flickered his gaze to the blonde and the shield didn't miss the look of concern that flitted over his features momentarily before their eyes met once more. "He'd be all over the news as 'The Guy Who Seduced Noctis Out of His Engagement'… He'd probably be hated. Your father could have him thrown into _jail_ , if that's what he wanted. Do you want that?!"

"Of course not!" Noctis shot back, eyes angry and defensive, fists clenched tightly at his sides. He was trying not to let his anger and worry over it visibly shake him, but it was difficult. He didn't want that to be Prompto's future. He didn't want that for his mate.

Prompto looked to his alpha, worry and the threat of tears swimming in his eyes. _Hated_? By an entire _nation_? Perhaps even _two_ nations, if Altissia's people found out and didn't take it well. He didn't think he could handle that. His chest felt tight and he was finding it a little harder to breath easily. Noctis smelled the distress on him and reached a hand out to him. The omega took it gratefully, lacing their fingers together tightly as he shook a little. "…Noct… I don't want to be hated…", the blonde whispered.

"…I know…" The prince pulled him in closer and laid a soft kiss to his temple, trying to soothe his lover's worries. "…You won't be. I won't let you… I promise."

Ignis sighed. "…Which leads us to the main point of this discussion."

"We're your friends as well as your retainers. We are your advisor and your shield. All we can do is advise you to listen to what we have to say, and shield you from enemy attacks if you don't. We can't _make_ you do anything. We can only hope that you take what we say and at least _think_ about it…" Gladio looked between the two boys, his face hard with sternness but soft around the edges with sympathy for their situation. "I know this is hard to ask. And I know your inner nature is going to protest it with every cell in your bodies, but hear us out… Don't bond. Wait until we can arrange a meeting with Lunafreya. So that we can all come up with a way to break off this engagement in a civil way that won't bring a war..."

Noctis looked way from his retainers, jaw clenched. He wanted to _scream_. He wanted to make a public announcement and tell everyone that he didn't give a _fuck_ what they thought. That he was going to do what he _wanted_ , public relations be _damned_. Instead, he held onto Prompto's hand a little tighter and offered, "…What if we place our bond marks somewhere people won't see? …Wouldn't _that_ work?" Gladio was understating how hard it was going to be to withhold himself from bonding Prompto to him. Hell, it was hard enough not even holding his hand every second of the day, let alone keeping his lips off the boy. Noctis didn't know if it would be _possible_ for him to hold off for long. As much as he would like to fluff his own ego, this was one thing he knew deep in his heart to be a fatal character flaw.

Ignis sighed, shaking his head at the absurd suggestion. "Noctis, as _solid_ as that idea sounds to you, would you _really_ be able to control that when you're in the throes of passion…? It's an impulse that every alpha has, and a _strong_ one at that… There's always the possibility that in the middle of it all, you will forget or disregard the idea entirely and bite Prompto somewhere obvious... It's a risk…"

"But, like we said, all we can do is give you advice and hope you listen. We can't control you." Gladiolus repeated his earlier statement. "No matter how much we wish we _could_. It sure as well would have come in handy, growing up with you." The shield smiled a bit at his own joke, but the humor didn't seem to reach the rest of the room.

Noctis was silent for a long time, for what felt like forever, until finally he looked to them and nodded. "…I understand… Thank for the advice, guys…"

Ignis nodded. "So long as you understand."

Gladiolus rolled his shoulders, flexing his neck from side to side. "Now that _that's_ all over, can we fight now? I need to let off some serious steam."

"Sure, Big Guy… Let's go."

They all filed out of the bathroom one by one, Noctis and Prompto releasing hands as they did so.

…

Training was difficult. Not because the targets were moving faster than normal, or because Gladiolus and Ignis weren't holding back any punches, but because Prompto was finding it hard to focus after the serious topics that were just discussed. His head was swimming as his body just went through the motions. He was shooting and dodging, physically he was present, but mentally he was long gone, mind wandering to possible outcomes to their problem. His aim wasn't nearly as good as he'd like it to be, but he couldn't bring himself to care much. Maybe no one noticed, anyways. Maybe it was fine.

"Prompto, focus!" Gladiolus' voice boomed out as the blonde barely dodged a downward swing of his greatsword.

Shit. Maybe his body wasn't doing as good as he thought it was, on autopilot.

He grimaced after rolling out of the way of another swing, jumping to avoid one of Ignis' daggers immediately after and backflipping to get himself out of the reach of Noctis' jabbing sword. He felt uncomfortable as he moved. The slick that covered his backside had cooled on his skin, making him feel wet and cold. His pants were clinging to his skin like glue from it, and he felt disgusting. He wanted a bath. He wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for weeks, until the problem of his relationship was magically solved and he would wake up with no worries.

"Prompto, are you alright?" Ignis asked him, after their practice match was over, everyone passing around water bottles and toweling the sweat off their skin.

The omega nodded weakly, trying not to give away how worried over everything he was. "I just really need to get out of these sticky clothes right now. I feel gross…"

The advisor nodded. "Just as well, I think we've been at it long enough, wouldn't you agree Gladiolus?"

The shield nodded, taking a long swig of his water. "Yeah, we can stop here for today. We've been at it for hours. Wash up and get some rest before dinner, guys."

Noctis walked over to his lover, panting and wiping the sweat from his brow as he did so. He extended a hand to lift Prompto off of the floor where he was resting and back on his feet. "What are you making us tonight, Iggy?" The prince asked with a small smile, trying to shake off the cloud of negativity that loomed over all of their heads.

"Actually, _I'm_ not making anything. The royal cooks are, for once… Your father wishes for all of us to sit down and have dinner together, seeing as you aren't… _sick_ … anymore. Therefore, we will not be dining in one of our places tonight. It'll be in the royal dining hall."

Noctis tensed. "…Dad wants to have dinner? With _all_ of us?" That was odd. It almost never happened, unless the king had some big announcement or important topic to discuss. The alpha had a bad feeling about this. "Like… Including Prompto?"

Gladio rolled his eyes at their dumb prince. " _Duh_. He's one of _us_ now, remember?"

Prompto tried to fight back the growing feeling of doom in his gut at the prospect of sitting through a meal in close quarters with the king. What if he found out he was an omega? What if he found out all the other secrets as well? Suddenly, he wasn't feeling very hungry anymore.

"Got it... What time?"

Ignis looked to his wristwatch. "It's around five o'clock now. Dinner will be at eight on the dot. That gives you three hours to get washed up and redressed. And please, _do_ be on time… Your father hasn't seen your face in a while and he seemed very enthusiastic about getting to share a meal with you."

The prince was already walking out of the room, taking his omega along with him. "Yeah, yeah. I'll be on time. Promise!" He called behind him with a lazy wave of his hand.

Somehow, the two retainers doubted that.

"How much gil do you want to bet Prompto's gonna be _limping_ to the dinner table tonight?" Gladio snickered before being slapped on the back of the head by his friend.

Ignis began making his way to his own bedroom, shaking his head at the shield. "You're incorrigible…"

The shield merely shrugged and followed behind with a smug smirk. "You just don't want to lose the bet."

…

The elevator ride to their floor and the short walk down the hall to Noctis' bedroom was filled with silence, neither of them knowing exactly what to say. With the silence came a palpable tension between them. Noctis didn't touch Prompto once, heeding Ignis' warning and steeling himself to better himself and follow the advice. But both of them knew it would be much, _much_ different once they were safely inside Noctis' room. Prompto could feel his lips tingling with the unspoken promises of what would eventually come. He was on edge, jumping slightly with every creak and groan of the elevator, and sound of footsteps from other people rooms over. Noctis would glance at him every once and a while and the look alone had his knees going weak. He could smell the arousal dripping off of the man, filling the air between them and his body reacted in kind, fresh slick covering his ass cheeks as he shifted uncomfortably.

He was blushing. He could feel the heat take over his face. He could remember what Noctis' hips had felt like, grinding roughly into his own, and it made his heart beat rapidly in his chest. It had felt so good, it made him wonder how incredible the feeling of his alpha doing the same with that cock buried in his ass would be.

The two of them entered the prince's bedroom, the doors closing softly. Prompto stood in the middle of the living room, goosebumps covering his flesh and ears acutely aware of the sound of the lock being turned into place and Noctis' sigh of relief. He couldn't bring himself to move and look behind him as Noctis walked up slowly, wrapping his arms around the blonde and drawing him in for a hug, the omega's back against his chest and the prince's head resting on his shoulder.

"Prom. Can we talk for a bit…?"

Oh. _That_ certainly hadn't been what he had anticipated to happen next. But he nodded. "Y-Yeah, of course, Noct."

Noctis kissed his cheek before releasing him, walking to the couch and sitting down. Prompto followed, sitting next to him and making a face at the feeling of sitting in his slick. He hoped it wouldn't make a wet spot on the couch. Noctis noticed the look and laughed, taking the omega's hands in his own.

"Sorry. I know you want to take a bath. I'll try to make this quick."

"It's okay. I'll live. So… what's up?"

What's _up_? What _wasn't_ up? There was so much to discuss before Noctis moved forward. He wanted to take Prompto, wanted to fuck him into oblivion and bite into his soft freckled skin. But he wouldn't do anything without being 1000% sure of what Prompto wanted and what he was ready for.

"I want to talk about what happened when you went into your heat."

Prompto blushed furiously and looked away. "Um.. I don't remember anything about what happened that night, Noct…", he admitted. Why were they talking about this? It was pointless to discuss something he had no knowledge of. What was he getting at?

"I know. I just…" The prince trailed off, taking a deep breath. "…I want to apologize to you."

Prompto turned to look at his alpha again, confusion on his face. "…Why?"

"…It was a big shock, and I didn't expect it…" Noctis started as he held onto the blonde's hands a little tighter. "…There _you_ were, naked, masturbating to the smell of my _shirt_ , and I just- I don't know. I was _enthralled_. I couldn't look away…"

Prompto's blush came back ten-fold. Had he done _that_? Had he _really_ done something as embarrassing as _that_ in front of his prince? He didn't know why he wanted to know. It was embarrassing more than anything to know. "Um… what else did I do…?" He squeaked out.

"Noctis blushed then as well, and Prompto knew it would be bad. "Well, um… You kinda… told me to strip and then you sucked my dick… Right here… On this couch…"

Prompto almost choked on his own spit, coughing to get himself back under control. " _What_?!" Oh, Gods. Did he even _want_ to know any more of this story? He felt like he could _die_ from the embarrassment. Never in his _life_ had he sucked a dick, and the one time he _does_ , he can't remember it. Wonderful. "I-I didn't hurt you, did I?!" He asked frantically. What if he had used too much teeth?

Noctis laughed and shook his head. "Nah. You were actually a natural at it."

Prompto groaned. "This is so _embarassinnngggg_ ….!"

Noctis came in to sit closer to him. "Sorry, sorry- I wasn't trying to embarrass you. Look, I'll skip the details. They aren't important. What _is_ important, is that you were in a state of vulnerability that I took advantage of…" Noctis' blush faded as he took Prompto's face in his hands and looked him in the eyes. "…I did a few things to you after that… I was a little rough and left lots of hickeys… and I probably crossed a lot of boundaries with where I was touching you…" The prince's face and voice was soft with sincerity. "…I want you to know that I'm sorry for what I did… That was your inner nature talking and not the real you... I should have _known_ that and taken you back to your room or something… I just- I wanted to let you know that I'm not going to do _anything_ to you unless you want it, Prom. I mean it."

Prompto gave a weak smile and placed his hands over Noctis' on his face. "Noctis, I'm touched… Thank you…"

"I mean it… So, if you don't want to go any further tonight, we don't have to... I won't be mad. I'll wait as long as I have to. Because you're worth it, and I finally have you, so I _really_ don't want to fuck this up."

Prompto leaned in to kiss Noctis, pulling back with a smirk. "Noct, you could do pretty much _anything_ to me and I won't complain." He laughed and Noctis let out a small laugh with him. "I want you. I swear- one hundred percent. No doubt in my mind." Noctis' gaze shifted from sincere to eager as he smiled and leaned in to capture his lover's lips in another tender kiss, but was stopped by Prompto's hand. "But dude, I _seriously_ need a bath… I smell like sweat and chocobo and that has _got_ to be a turn-off."

Noctis shrugged, smiling. "Honestly? I'll take you _any_ way I can have you. Bird smell and all."

Prompto rolled his eyes playfully. "Weirdo…."

"Tell me something I _don't_ know." This time, when Noctis leaned in for a kiss, the blonde let him, sighing and melting into the feel of it. When Noctis pulled back, he leaned into the boy's ear to whisper, "…Would you like some company…?"

Prompto blushed at the idea.

 _Would_ he?

 _Oooohhhhh_ , yeah. He _certainly_ would.

"Okay, sure." He got up from the couch, Noctis trailing eagerly at his heels, already shucking his jacket off and pulling his shirt over his head. The omega laughed heartily. "Eager, are we?"

"Since the first day I met you." The prince retorted seriously, his voice lower pitched and rough, closing the door to the bathroom behind them.


	25. Chapter 24

Noctis let Prompto fill the tub so that his omega could have it exactly how he liked, scalding hot water with just a hint of bubble bath. Just enough for the water to feel silky and smooth, little clumps of foam floating along the surface. Prompto let his fingers glide through the water and smiled. It was perfect. The heavy scent of lavender had filled the air around them, and it made him feel relaxed.

"Of all the scents I have, why lavender?" The alpha asked as he wasted no time in kicking off his boots and socks, leaving them abandoned in the corner.

Prompto sat at the edge of the tub, still fully clothed, and gave him a sweet smile. "It smells like you.", was the honest reply. He said it with a little shrug, like it should have been obvious.

"Really? Is _that_ what I smell like?" Noctis quirked an eyebrow and pulled his pants and underwear off in one fluid motion, unashamed at being so exposed, and kicking the clothing to the side afterwards.

Prompto's heart forgot to beat for a moment, he'd swear on it, but when it started back up, it was going at double the speed it had been previously. His mouth felt incredibly dry and his tongue darted out to wet his lips as his eyes raked over the alpha before him. Noctis' skin was pale and smooth, not a mark or scar on him. Lean, but hints of muscle as well. The omega's eyes slowly followed the dark trail of hair that ended at Noctis' groin and he blushed before meeting the alpha's eyes. The prince was giving him a look that said, ' _Do you like what you see_?', and _Gods_ , the man was gorgeous. How could someone be _that_ gorgeous? It wasn't fair. The alpha wasn't even embarrassed!

It took Prompto a few seconds, but he finally remembered to answer the question that was inquired of him. "Yeah, you do… Like lavender and the air after it just rained. It's a nice smell."

He watched Noctis stride over to the tub and dip a foot in. The prince let out a small hiss as the water covered it, but he adjusted to the scalding temperature relatively fast, stepping in completely and getting comfortable in the water, his arms stretching out along the rim of the tub. Prompto watched a bead of water roll down the boy's chest and he had the strangest urge to kick it off him.

"Earth to Prompto." The omega snapped out of his trance at the sound of his name, meeting Noctis' eyes. He blushed at that smug look his prince wore, talking to him in a teasing voice. He knew damned well Prompto had been staring. But how could he _not_ stare? His prince was _perfect_. Perfect and beautiful and his. All his. "You coming in, or what?"

 _Oh_. Right. Prompto was still fully clothed and sitting at the edge of the tub. They were supposed to be bathing _together_. He kinda had to be naked to do that.

Prompto licked his lips and nodded. "Yeah- _Duh_! Absolutely." He laughed to try and hide his nervousness as he stood up and went to undo his vest, but he probably failed miserably. If Noctis had realized it though, he made no comment. His fingers were shaking and fumbling under Noctis' heavy gaze. ' _Just breathe, Prompto. He's seen it all before_.', he told himself as he tried to calm down. Once the jacket was undone he took his tank top along with it, exposing his freckled shoulders and chest. Noctis hummed appreciatively at the sight and the blonde blushed, trying not to see what kind of a face his prince was making. He took off his shoes and socks, and then his pants, before taking a deep shaky breath and finally sliding his boxers down, exposing himself completely to his chosen mate.

Prompto was already half hard from the sensation of knowing Noctis was watching him, burning holes through his body with those eyes, smirking like he had won some great prize. It made his heart pound and heat pulse through his veins and cheeks. He held his arms in his hands, as if that would make him feel less exposed, as he looked up.

Noctis had his arms folded over the side of the tub, chin resting on them as he gazed down and then back up at his retainer. "Lovin' the view, Prom. I give you a ten outta ten." He winked, and Prompto felt his face burning as he stepped into the tub.

"S-Shut up…" The omega mumbled, looking away as he sat down into the water across from Noctis. _Noctis_ may have already seen it all before, but this was all new to Prompto, and he was nervous. He'd never been so exposed, and being watched by the person he wanted most was strange. He wanted to curl up into a tiny ball and disappear, but at the same time, he wanted Noctis to look at him _more,_ wanted to excite him. He didn't know what to do as he sat there, knees drawn to his chest, too timid to look at or touch the man across from him.

Noctis thought the blonde was _entirely_ too cute. The Prompto he remembered during his heat was unashamed, almost confident in his body, needy and eager. The Prompto in front if him now was shy and nervous, hesitant in his actions. Noctis didn't mind, though. He loved Prompto no matter what side of him he showed. He chuckled and reached a hand out to touch Prompto's arm, getting the boy's attention. "Hey. Wash my hair?" Maybe washing each other's hair would break the ice and help him come out of his shell.

The omega nodded. "Um. Which shampoo do you want?" There were so many options, the entire wall next to the tub covered in various bottles. He unconsciously leaned into the alpha's touch as he looked over the choices. Noctis' hand felt hot, like the searing water, and it felt nice on his damp skin.

He shrugged, but smiled at his omega's reaction to the touch. "Anything is fine. You pick."

Noctis turned around so that his back was facing Prompto, and the blonde let out a little sigh of relief, relaxing more into the water. He felt less nervous without the boy's eyes on him. His eyes scanned over the various bottles before finally deciding on a citrus-smelling one. He poured some of the liquid in his hands and lathered it up before running his fingers through Noctis' hair, scratching lightly along his scalp and gathering all of the dark hair into his hands to wash.

Prompto couldn't help but admire Noctis' naked back as his hands worked. He had a slim neck and nice, broad shoulders. A slim waist, and he could just barely see the notches of his spine running down the center. The water on his skin made it shine, and Prompto began to entertain thoughts of touching the skin, ghosting his nails down that back and kissing it.

Noctis sighed, leaning into those amazing hands as they worked at his scalp. It felt like heaven and he couldn't stop his mind from drifting, imagining what those hands would feel like pulling on his hair as he made the omega moan in pleasure. The alpha smiled as the picture of himself between Prompto's legs came to his mind. _Oh, yes_. If given the opportunity, he'd suck that pretty cock to oblivion. He felt his own cock come to life with interest, and he let out a long sigh, leaning into Prompto's hands more and allowing one of his hands to caress himself under the water. It was light, barely there, but he could smell Prompto's sweet scent in the air and he had to bite his lip in order to suppress a small moan from escaping.

"Honeysuckle and peaches."

Prompto stopped his grooming, finally feeling like he got it all well enough. "…Hm?"

"That's what _you_ smell like." Noctis reached for the detachable shower head and turned it on, rinsing the suds from his hair as he sat in the water. When he was done, he turned the water back off and turned to look behind him, at his omega. "It smells _amazing_." Prompto barely had time to comment before Noctis was guiding the boy to turn around, placing Prompto in the same position he had been in earlier. "Your turn. Which one do you want?"

"Um. Doesn't really matter. Whichever one you want, I guess?"

The prince nodded and chose a bottle of something flowery-smelling. His hands went to work in blonde hair, twisting and tangling in the most delightful way. The omega sighed and leaned his head back, offering it up to Noctis completely. His hands felt so nice against his scalp, and he wanted it to last forever. Unfortunately, it did have to stop once his hair was properly lathered. He frowned inwardly, already missing the touch.

"This is nice."

Prompto rinsed his hair off with the shower head and he brought a hand up to run through his bangs, bringing them out of his face. "Yeah, it is." He laid back against the tub, facing his prince once more, finally seeming less nervous than he had been previously.

"We should do this _every_ day."

The omega scoffed, looking at Noctis incredulously. " _Every day_? You'd get sick of it in _no_ time, at that rate..."

Noctis leaned forward and pulled Prompto by the arms gently, bringing the boy closer to him. He laid a chaste kiss on those perfect, unsuspecting lips and smiled. "I'd _never_ get sick of you...", he breathed against the omega's lips, and Prompto smiled as those sweet words met his ears. The prince's hands came up to rest on Prompto's hips, tugging gently, asking him wordlessly to come even closer. There was nowhere closer _to_ go unless he ended up in Noctis' lap, and the blonde bit his lip as he allowed it, albeit hesitantly, slowly crawling closer until he was straddling the man. "…You know that, right, Prom?"

Noctis' arms wrapped around his friend's waist and he leaned in for another kiss, lips gliding perfectly over his lover's, all heat and tenderness. It was true, he'd never tire of his mate. _Never_. Not for as long as he'd live, and even longer, of possible. He was absolutely sure of it.

Breathless, Prompto pulled away, gazing down at Noctis. He delicately brushed the alpha's damp bangs out of his face and nodded. "Yeah. I know." The look in the man's eyes, half- lidded and cloudy with a mildly-tamed desire made his stomach do flips. It was a look Noctis gave to no one else. Just for him. Yeah, he had no doubt in his mind that Noctis meant every word. And he felt the same way.

"You're the only thing in the whole world I'd _never_ get tired of, Prom." The breathed out against the blonde's mouth. "I could kiss you for _hours_ …" He nibbled gently on the other's lip before licking along it. Prompto gasped, opening immediately for the boy's tongue to explore and taste him. Prompto's hands travelled to either sides of Noctis' neck, tangling in dark locks as their tongues slid against one another languidly, teasingly.

Noctis hummed and his arms loosened around Prompto and those hands travelled lower, one resting on a freckled thigh as the other ghosted over his stomach to travel lower still, stopping just over blonde curls. Prompto could feel Noctis' erection against his own growing one, and without thinking the blonde ground his hips down a bit so that they rubbed against each other, both moaning into the kiss at the slippery sensation.

Noctis let Prompto's mouth go to kiss the junction where his jaw met the bottom of his ear. " _Gods_ , You're so perfect..." His voice was deep and rough with desire, and it made Prompto shiver. The hand that was resting just above Prompto's dick wrapped around the neglected member, pumping agonizingly slowly, and the omega cried out quietly, rolling his head back and latching onto his lover's shoulders.

" _Noct_ …" The alpha's name was a needy whisper on the Prompto's lips as that hand continued to pump, gripping him with just the right amount of pressure to drive him wild and make him restless. The pace was teasing and torturous as the prince's lips kissed and sucked at his neck.

"I want you _so badly_ , Prom..." Noctis growled out quietly, reveling in the way the other boy began to slowly thrust into his hand to meet every pump. His other hand squeezed the omega's thigh lightly before moving towards his entrance. "…Gonna prepare you now… 'Kay?"

Prompto nodded and gasped as a finger pushed against his entrance, sliding inside easily. He screwed his eyes shut when that finger in his ass began to move, sliding in and out repeatedly and bit his lip to suppress the urge to squirm under the prince's skilled hands on and in him. It wasn't long before a second finger was added, stretching him further. This time, he couldn't stop himself from lowering his hips on shaky legs to meet each thrust of the digits, needing more.

" _Damn it_ , Prom, you're so fucking perfect." Noctis groaned and took the omega's mouth with his own again. It was less careful than the previous ones, less coordinated, and a little sloppy as most of his attention was focused to make the blonde in his lap feel as good as possible. His mouth was hungry, desperate, dominating.

Prompto kissed back eagerly, trying his best to match the other's intensity, hands gripping at Noctis' shoulders tightly. He felt a third finger enter him suddenly, and his mind went blank. He was on sensory overload, with the combined feeling of the writhing tongue against his own, the hand pumping him, and the fingers stretching him, filling him, those delicious groans and growls from his alpha, vibrating through his mouth. The digits curled and brushed up against him just right and the omega's moans were eaten up, his freckled hips jerking slightly from the sensation.

Noctis kissed him one final time, dragging his teeth over the boys' lower lip as they broke apart, before leaning back to look into his omega's eyes with a sultry smirk. Whatever spot he just grazed, it caused an amazing reaction, and the prince didn't miss it. It must have been the prostate. "Did that feel good?" The question was rhetorical, he already knew the answer damned well.

The prince made sure to mimic that same thrust, over and over, committing that location to memory. Prompto rocked his hips down and bit his lip hard. He couldn't form words around his ragged breaths. _All_ of it was amazing, and he could feel the pleasure pooling in his gut, coiling, hotter and hotter. Instead of verbally replying, he nodded as best he could before leaning his head on Noct's shoulder. All he could to was cling to his alpha and pant against his damp skin as he ass was played with in time with his prince's firm strokes.

Noctis kissed Prompto's hair. He could feel the blonde's thrusts becoming less on-beat with his hands and more sporadic, the slick walls of his ass clenching around his fingers with almost every thrust, and he knew the boy was close. He removed the fingers, ignoring the loud whine from his omega, and held him as closely as he could, focusing entirely on pumping Prompto's cock to orgasm.

" _Come for me, Prom_." He whispered the command into the boy's ear, low and sultry and full of smug confidence and the satisfaction of knowing that he was getting the blonde off, and Prompto absolutely _lost_ it. He moaned Noctis' name loudly as his entire body shuddered, releasing his cum over Noctis' hand and stomach. Noctis' hand slowed, but continued to grip and move back and forth over the member until Prompto was milked entirely, the few remaining spurts dripping and dissolving into the water between them.

Prompto sagged completely onto his alpha, his bones turning to jelly. His ears were ringing, and he felt so lightheaded, so hot. The world was spinning around him. His arms fell from Noctis' shoulders to his waist, and he wrapped them around his prince as he nuzzled into his neck, breathing his scent in deeply as he took in every breathe. "That was… amazing…"

The prince chuckled under his breath. "And that was only me _preparing_ you. Just wait until the _real thing_." Noctis used a nearby washcloth to clean the mess from his hand and stomach. He helped Prompto out of the tub to sit on it's edge and he brought them some towels over to dry off with.

"Dude. I don't think I can _handle_ the real thing."

Noctis scoffed playfully and pulled the blonde close. "You telling me you don't want me inside of you? Filling you up and making you say my name until your throat's raw?" He accentuated every point with a soft roll of his hips, causing Prompto to gasp. The omega may have gotten off, but his alpha was still painfully hard, the member hot against his drying skin. Noctis smirked as he felt Prompto's dick stir with a renewed interest. "Let's take this to the bed…"

…

Prompto fell to the bed with a gentle shove, landing on his back. Noctis licked his lips at the sight in front of him. His omega, cheeks and chest flushed pink, half-lidded, sky-blue eyes glossed over, teeth biting that delicious lower lip, legs bent at the knees and spread apart, offering him a view of absolutely everything, dick hard and laying on his lower abdomen, precum glistening at the tip.

Noctis couldn't possibly suppress the possessive growl that tore from his chest even if he wanted to as he crawled onto the bed above his omega, legs tangling and hips flush against one another, supporting his upper body on his forearms as he crashed his lips upon the other, utterly dominating and devouring Prompto.

They pulled away shortly after, panting. "You're fucking _perfect_ for me, prom… Such a good omega…" The prince practically purred against the blonde's skin as his hand gripped Prompto's thigh, spreading the legs wider and settling his hips between them. He could smell the slick, could practically _taste_ it, and it made his mouth water.

Prompto groaned, the deep whispers of praise and affection going straight to his cock and making his entire body light up with searing heat. He wanted that more than _anything_. To be whatever Noctis _wanted_ him to be. To _please_ him. Something in him _needed_ to give all of himself up to Noctis, _needed_ to be absolutely taken over, dominated, _bred_. They may not be advised to bond, and Prompto may be taking his birth control, but none of that mattered anymore. None of it was relevant. He was engulfed in primal _need_.

"I'm _your_ omega, Noct… Just yours." The blonde agreed, breathlessly, through broken cries as that hot mouth descended on a nipple, swiping it with his tongue and sucking hard.

Noctis wanted to savor him. _All_ of him. The taste, the feel of his skin, the sound of those sinfully arousing cries. But they had limited time until the dinner started, and he was so _painfully_ hard and needy for release. He was finding it difficult not to leave marks on the blonde beneath him. Every fiber of his being was calling out to him, _urging_ him to mark what was his in _some_ way, but Noctis held it in. He couldn't afford to let himself slip up, even in the slightest. It was a slippery slope from hickeys to bond marks and he wasn't about to take any chances.

He was trying to contain himself. For Prompto's sake. For Insomnia's sake. He _had_ to control himself.

"Damn right you are." He replied and kissed Prompto's swollen lips. "I'm not going to let another alpha so much as _look_ at you." His hand went to knead the flesh of Prompto's ass, damp and sticky with slick and the boy whined, hands clawing at Noctis' sides in a plea for some kind of friction, some form of pleasure other than the constant teasing of his mouth and hands.

" _Noct_ , _please_ -!", Prompto urged. He couldn't take it anymore. He hadn't expected this loving form of dirty talk from Noctis, a strange but effective combination. It was doing _wonderful_ things to him, to his body as well as his heart. He was feeling unbearably hot, heart pounding and fluttering against his ribcage, and he could feel the slick pooling beneath him, wetting the blankets. Noctis' alpha scent mixed with the smell of arousal was all he could take in, and it had his head swimming and his eyes glossy with lust.

Noctis smirked and kissed his omega's jaw before sitting up and lining himself up. Prompto was searing hot and slick at the entrance when Noctis' tip pressed the head of his cock against it, and he shuddered, grinding against him a bit. He reveled in the needy mewl his omega let out from the action. "Anything for you, babe."

Prompto fisted the blankets beneath him tightly and hissed in a breath as Noctis pushed in completely, in one fluid thrust, burying himself to the hilt. His back arched, and he could feel the pulse of his heartbeat reverberating throughout him, all the way to his curling toes. Noctis felt so _incredibly_ _hot_ and stiff inside of him. _Finally_ , he was filled, his virginity taken by his chosen mate. He looked up at his alpha and moaned when he saw the look of pure bliss that covered his face, eyes fluttering closed, mouth slightly agape, head thrown back in ecstasy, and he was rocking his hips into the blonde, shallow, slow, experimental thrusts that had Prompto squirming, sensitive to every slide inside of him.

Noctis didn't have words. He didn't think his brain would be able to process sentences at this time anyways. Prompto's insides were hot and slick, the walls of his ass squeezing around his shaft, and his cock felt like it was _melting_. He rolled his head back and closed his eyes, focusing on trying not to cum right then and there. So _this_ is what Gladiolus had been trying to describe, in all of his wild stories of his sexual conquests. But, no offense to the shield, those stories paled in comparison to the _real_ thing, the actual _feeling_ of being buried inside of Prompto. He began rocking his hips, slowly, shallow, trying to get a feel for what pace would be best, what places to press against.

But oh, _Gods_ , Prompto was moaning and writhing beneath him with _just_ that, and he couldn't _take_ it anymore.

Noctis gripped his omega's thighs as he ground his hips into him, burying himself as deep as he could, over and over again. The pace was slow at first. Prompto could sense his hesitancy, his fear of accidentally hurting him. But it was all forgotten by the prince in moments when there seemed to be no resistance or signs of pain from the blonde. Noctis began to thrust harder, faster, the front of his thighs slapping loudly against Prompto's ass with the contact.

"You're so fucking _tight_ , Prom. So perfect." Noctis breathed out, stormy eyes locking with glossy sky-blue ones in a heated stare. He bit his lip, barely restraining a moan as his cock brushed against that sensitive bundle of nerves his fingers had found earlier, causing his retainer to clench around him and throw his head back, arching to meet his prince's thrusts, fingers gripping the sheets until his knuckles were white. "It's like you were _made_ for me. _My omega_."

" _Noct_ -!" Prompto licked his lips and reached his arms out, begging him to come closer, to embrace him. He looked so incredibly sexy, hair still half wet, brows furrowed in concentration, mouth parted open and panting, occasionally worrying his swollen lips, strong hands holding up freckled thighs, long fingers griping hard enough to bruise. He looked like he was on the verge of losing all control, and Prompto wanted to be the one to tip him over the edge and _make_ him lose control.

Noctis smiled and gave in to his lover's request, leaning over and laying flush against him again. He held himself above the boy by bracing his weight on his forearm, his fingers running through Prompto's hair, the other hand left Prompto's thigh to travel up his side and rest against his neck, thumb brushing a gentle swipe along his jaw. Prompto smiled and cupped his prince's face, bringing him down for a kiss.

The kiss changed the feel entirely. Prompto's lips glided over Noct's. Slow, light, gentle presses of lips. Their tongues only came together just barely, just teasingly sweet swipes and presses. Entirely different from the deep, rough snap of Noctis' hips. It was so heartbreakingly gentle, so much loving emotions overflowing with it and Noctis could practically _taste_ the love his omega was wordlessly communicating on his tongue.

Noctis' hips faltered a bit as he adjusted his rhythm, slowing down to match the gentle intensity of Prompto's kiss, turning his thrusts from wild and desperate to careful, slow, deep ones. He didn't mind the change of pace. He'd be happy taking Prompto in _any_ way, but even though the pace was slow, it felt more passionate, more intimate and intense. Surprisingly, that was turning him on _more_ than the previous pace had. It felt like he was worshipping the omega's body with his own. And damn it, Prompto _deserved_ to be worshipped.

Prompto sighed against those lips appreciatingly and wrapped his legs around his prince's lower back, drawing him in even closer. If the moan that fell from the alpha's mouth was any indicator, Noctis enjoyed that _very_ much. The hand in Prompto's hair fisted and pulled gently as Noctis thrust and ground into him, slow and deep, rubbing against all the spots needed to drive him crazy with desire.

Prompto's hands left his alpha's face to wrap under his arms and clutch at his back. Their kiss broke, and he threw his head back, crying out. His mind was going blank. He felt like his breath was being stolen from him with every clash of lips and he was involuntarily twitching with every glide of Noctis' cock inside of him. " _Oh my Gods_ , _Noct_ -! _You're so- I can't_ -!" His words were coming out as a needy, desperate, breathy whine. Words were hard. Sentences were harder. He hadn't even touched his cock this time. No once, and he was already close. _So_ close, climbing the pleasure higher. He could feel his orgasm building rapidly now, and his legs clamped around his prince tighter, pressing him deeper still.

Noctis gave a breathless smile that went unnoticed by his omega and since the boy's lips weren't available anymore, he kissed a hot trail over his neck, mouth covering every inch of skin that was offered. "You close, babe?" Another rhetorical question. Noctis knew the omega was close, could feel it in the way the boy tightened around him with every thrust, the way his legs held him close and trembled, the high pitch of desperation in his cries. He gently scraped his teeth over Prompto's adams apple and it was the final push Prompto needed to come right then, spilling his seed over his own stomach and chest, Noctis' name on his lips as he clung to the alpha desperately through his orgasm.

Hearing his name called out like that by his omega was all Noctis needed to chase Prompto's orgasm with his own, hips stuttering and breaking out into a broken pace as he thrusted a few more times. The hand buried in Prompto's half-dried hair directed the boy's head back to his own, his other hand gripping the side of his neck, holding him into place as he kissed Prompto with a bruising intensity, allowing his moans to be swallowed up as he buried himself deep into the blonde's ass and came as well.

Prompto gasped, mind and body going numb as Noctis' cum flooded his insides, filling him up, hot and wet, and it was _everything_. He could feel every pulse and twitch of his lover's cock as he was milked to completion, until there was nothing left to give, and only then did Noctis release Prompto's mouth to pant against his shoulder. Prompto was only barely aware of Noctis pulling out a few minutes later and rolling to the side of him, drawing their hands together and lacing their fingers. His ears were muted, like he was listening to sound under water. Not that there was anything to listen to other than the bursts of breath the two of them took as they tried to steady their racing hearts. Prompto felt light, like he was floating on air, but he also felt heavy as a brick, He was so utterly exhausted.

He could feel Noctis' semen leaking from his stretched hole and he worried his lip. Was it wrong to feel like it was a _loss_ , to have the cum dripping out of him? To feel like he was becoming unbearably _empty_ again?

Noctis shifted onto his side and drew the blonde into his arms, kissing at the corners of his eyes and running hands over his hair and back. "Hey, Prom- you alright? …I didn't hurt you, did I?" Noctis' voice was soft and tender and only then did Prompto realize the sides of his own eyes were wet. Had he been crying?

The retainer nuzzled into that soft, pale chest and inhaled Noctis' scent. "No, I'm okay. I promise. It was wonderful." It _had_ been wonderful, and he didn't want to suddenly dump a whole bunch of strange omega emotions that he couldn't even begin to sort through himself on top of it. That could be a conversation for another time. He wanted to bask in the elation of finally being one with his alpha, even if they still weren't bonded. Smiling, he added, "Better than in my dreams!"

Noctis snorted. "You've dreamed about me fucking you?"

Prompto playfully shoved his shoulder. " _All the time_. It's been getting pretty annoying, actually. Give a guy a break once and a while, will ya?"

Noctis laughed and placed a kiss on top of the blonde's head. "Not on your life, dude. You're stuck with me forever."

Prompto rolled his eyes. "You're impossible."

"Impossibly _sexy_?"

" _Sure_ , whatever you want to call it, Noct..."

Noctis tipped his retainer's face up towards him with a finger beneath his chin and kissed him sweetly. "We really should start getting ready for that dinner, though…"

The blonde groaned, feeling way too comfy and satisfied to get up. "I guess we do, huh?" He sat up and went to get out of the bed, only to lock up and fall forward when he felt a surge of pain through his hips. " _Sweet Six_ , I'm sore…" He mumbled into the blankets and tried to push himself up, but his legs quivered and ached from the effort of trying to move them, and he gave up shortly after with a huff of annoyance. "Noct? A little help here, buddy…?"

Now.

 _In Noctis' defense_ , he had _every_ intention of helping Prompto get up and out of bed at the time. _Every_ intention, that is, until he saw the utterly _delicious_ position the omega had gotten himself into.

The blonde was face-first into the blankets, hands fisted by his head, back arched and ass jutting out, legs spread apart slightly. Noctis' eyes followed the trail of cum that was leaking from his hole and sliding down his slick-covered thighs, and he swallowed. _Hard_.

 _Welp_ , there went his self-control.

Prompto jumped and let out a startled yelp as Noctis' hands grabbed at his ass, palming the flesh and spreading his cheek wider to get a better view of him. He leaned over the omega, nipping at the shell of his ear before whispering, " _You know_ , we don't have to get ready just yet… We still have a good hour or so until dinner… That's _plenty_ of time to waste, and I can think of an _awesome_ way to waste it…"

Prompto's breath hitched in his throat as Noctis ran his tongue over the skin just beneath his ear, those strong hands travelling from his ass to grab his hips and press flush against him. He could feel Noctis' dick hardening against him and he shuddered. "C-Can you, now?" He chuckled under his breath, trying not to give in to his spoiled prince's desires. There were places to _be_ , important things to _do_ , damn it! He couldn't allow himself to get swept up in this! "You _sure_ that we got time? Because your dad is a man I _really_ don't want to piss off."

Noctis smirked and moved back a little, letting his lips ghost over the blonde's spine, brushing against him in a feather-light touch, right between his shoulder blades. The blonde tensed. "Prompto, for _you_ , I'll _make_ time."

The omega whimpered as his prince kissed him there. Little, delectable, open-mouthed kisses and he was surprised at how sensitive he was there, how quickly his body was already beginning to respond. Noct's lips travelled down his spine, licking and nipping and kissing at his skin and Prompto couldn't help the moans that escaped his throat. He jumped and shivered with every caress, unbelievably sensitive to each contact. It only got worse as Noctis picked up on it, beginning to be random with where he kissed next. Prompto's body was lit up, on pins and needles, never knowing where to expect the next hot slide of tongue to appear. Noctis sucked hard at one spot in particular, and it had Prompto crying out and rocking his hips back into his prince's erection.

Noctis placed a kiss over the hickey he just made and ground his hips into the blonde. He smirked. "Your back is sensitive, huh?"

"S-Shut up-!" Prompto whined, blushing furiously. "I didn't know either!"

"We know _now_ , though, don't we?" The prince chuckled and whispered into Prompto's ear. One of his hands travelled from the omega's hip to his front, fingers wrapping around the blonde's pulsing erection. His thumb swiped over the tip, smearing the precum over it, and Prompto let out an adorable little sound. "It felt so good you're already this wet…" the alpha mused aloud, teasingly, nipping the shell of Prompto's ear after he spoke. It wasn't just his front, but his back as well. The prince could feel the growing slick covering his own thighs and cock as he pressed against his lover. "…Do you want me, Prom? Your ass is practically _begging_ for it…"

Noctis' voice was deep and silky, hi breathe hot against his neck and ear, and it made Prompto shiver. How was it so easy for the alpha to _do_ this to him? To make him become desperate and needy only a few minutes after absolutely shattering his world with his last orgasm? The omega hadn't meant to excite the man, hadn't meant to end up in this position, but he wasn't about to complain now that he was so worked up. He nodded, fisting the blankets in his hands and rocking his hips back into his alpha. " _Yes_ -! _Please_."

Noctis sat back up and smirked. He let one hand travel down his lover's back, massaging the skin gently and coaxing him to relax. It pushed Prompto's chest further into the blankets, causing his back to arch deliciously further, and his legs to spread wider, inviting. "You're so fucking gorgeous, Prom…" The prince licked his lips at the sight and gave the blonde's ass a light squeeze before lining himself up and pushing inside.

Prompto gasped as Noctis filled him again. It felt much different than it had their first time, but no less pleasurable. If anything, it felt _better,_ somehow. His dick was reaching further than before, the angle allowing him to travel deep. So deep, the omega thought he may break. He could feel the weight of Noctis inside him, against his lower abdomen, hot and heavy and twitching. Prompto was finding it hard to relax, to concentrate. He bit his lip and moaned, legs trembling.

Noctis actually cried out a bit as he buried himself once more inside his omega. The position was _incredible_. The blonde was tighter than before, _much_ tighter, as his duck pressed in as far as it could go, rolling his hips in a grind as the omega's ass swallowed him to the base. He could feel his lover trembling beneath him and it only added to the sensation. Noctis paused, briefly, to run his hands along the blonde's spine, up and down, soothing him. He held Prompto by the hips and licked his lips. "…I'm gonna move now, ok…?"

Prompto barely had time to respond before Noctis' dick was sliding out of him, slowly, until just the tip was inside, before thrusting sharply back in, hips snapping, burying himself once more. Prompto couldn't _help_ it, he threw his head back and cried out, Noctis' name on his lips. The alpha was so deep it almost hurt. Hell, it probably did, but Prompto could care less. He was brushing against a spot he didn't even knew existed, and he wanted more. Noctis repeated the motion, over and over, pushing his omega down with one hand splayed over the middle of his back, other hand keeping freckled hips in place. Prompto cried out with each thrust, unable to contain his voice.

" _Fuck_ , Prom, you sound so fucking _good_ …" Noctis groaned, his cock twitching inside of his lover, causing another tight clamp around his member and a slew of amazing noises from the blonde. Noctis decided he liked this vocal side of Prom. He wanted to hear _more_ of him, wanted to be the one to _make_ him let out more. Prompto was tight, so _fucking incredibly wet_ and _tight_ , the ass seemingly not wanting Noctis' cock to leave him. "…Tell your alpha what you want."

Prompto whimpered, bunching his hands in the blankets as those hips rocked into him. " _H-Harder_ …!" The retainer gasped out, turning his head and chancing a glance at his lover.

" _Fuck_!" Noctis locked eyes with Prompto and the blonde's eyes looked so glossed over with pleasure, almost lost in it, seemingly unaware of anything but the man behind him, inside of him, and it was altogether the sexiest thing Noctis had ever seen in his life. It made the alpha growl and comply eagerly, gripping those hips so hard he may leave bruises and drilling into his retainer, skin smacking against skin, and Prompto was crying out with every thrust.

The _earth_ was shaking. Or, maybe it was just the bed? Prompto didn't know. He couldn't tell. But each powerful push of Noctis' hips into his ass had him surging forwards a bit, rocking his entire body as he rode every wave of pleasure. He couldn't find much time to breath between every new sensation, every broken moan and call of Noctis' name, every gasp. His entire body was on fire, but paled in comparison to hot, thick and heavy that cock felt inside of him.

Noctis looked down upon that gorgeously freckled back, how the muscles rippled with the blonde's movements, with his writhing, and his eyes zoned in on that one, small hickey he had made between the boy's shoulder blades, along his spine. It stood out loudly in comparison to the slightly tanned skin, red and puffy and irritated. He had left that mark so _easily_ , so _fast_.

He could do another.

A bigger, darker one, perhaps. The blonde had seemingly _liked_ the sensation of it enough. What would be in the way of stopping him?

Or, perhaps he could do even _better_.

Perhaps he could nip at the flesh there. Just a _small_ one. Nothing _serious_. Only just enough to break the skin maybe, taste blood, leave his mark, make it _permanent_.

 _Bond them_.

His brain was going a mile a minute and he could feel goosebumps forming along his skin with the thoughts. Everything in the background was becoming fuzzy, distorted. Only Prompto was clear.

He licked his lips and paused, ignoring the whines of complaint from his omega, and gripped Prompto by the shoulders, pulling him up so that his face was no longer in the blankets. He didn't want that skin to be so far away from him anymore. He _needed_ it closer, beneath his hands, beneath his _mouth_. He pulled the blonde flush against his chest and held him there, hand splayed along his hip and the other holding him along his throat. Not choking him, no. Never choking him. Just holding him up, holding him _close_ , so that his chest met his back with every intake of breath. So that he could smell him, run his lips along that delicate shoulder. So that he could whisper and nip at that adorably flushed ear.

Prompto whined initially, when his prince stopped delving into him in order to reposition him, but he found he didn't mind the new one. The hand at his hip kept him steady on his shaking legs and the other had his throat, gripping it with only a slight pressure, and he could feel the heat radiating off Noctis' body behind him. So warm, so soft, and he smelled so _good_ , and he found himself relaxing into the new position rather easily. He turned his head and whimpered, rocking his hips back against his mate, desperate for the friction inside of him to continue.

"So eager." Noctis chuckled and turned his own head to capture Prompto's mouth in a kiss. A kiss that was _much_ too short for Prompto's liking, leaving him whining again once it was over, but a kiss nonetheless. Noctis could only feel a _little_ bad for his mate, however, his mind on far more dangerous motives. "Don't worry, I'll give you what you want."

Prompto practically _purred_ when Noctis' hips continued that deep, hard rhythm within him, fresh slick dripping out of his hole every time the prince withdrew, with lewd sloppy noises. He let his head fall back on his lover's shoulder, eyes fluttering closed and mouth agape as he was pounded into. Noctis' mouth descended onto his neck, sucking and kissing and _scraping_ with his teeth, and he tightened up with every possessive growl that left the man's chest.

"Wanna _own_ you, Prom. Want you to be _only_ mine." Prompto's heart pounded in his chest at a particularly rough scrape of teeth over the juncture where neck met shoulder. His prince's words echoed in his mind. He could feel his orgasm building, coiling quickly, and he was surprised by how much the simple wordless threat of teeth against him set him on fire, set him on edge with anticipation and fear that only heightened his arousal.

" _N-Noct_ -!" _Ah_ -!" The alpha bit a little too roughly along the shell of his ear, and he tensed, squeezing down on his prince and only egging the man on with how _incredible_ the reaction felt. Noctis' nails were digging into his hip, the hand around his throat holding him a little more firmly.

"Wanna bond you to me _so bad_ , Prom… Just say the word and I'll do it." Noctis' words were coming out broken and rough, pleasure building in him fast.

The situation was dangerous. The way Prompto _wanted_ Noctis to bite him was dangerous. He was close, he could feel that _Noctis_ was close as well. The more their orgasms were building, the less rational their brains were becoming, but by the grace of whatever God was out there watching over him, Prompto retained enough rationality to kiss Noctis briefly and pull away to breathe, "No- No biting.", into his ear.

Noctis worried his lips with his teeth to satisfy the urge to bite, if even only a little, and nodded, nuzzling his face against his omega's hair, breathing him in. He couldn't find it in him to be anything more than faintly upset at the blonde's choice. It was just as much Prompto's choice as well as his own, and so naturally Noctis wanted only what his omega would agree to. He'd hold off a little longer. He'd hold off for as long as he had to. "Yeah- Ok. Sorry. Just love you _so_ much, Prom- I love you." Noctis laid delicate little kisses against blonde locks, showering his lover in little affections that greatly clashed with their rough fucking, but it made Prompto's heart flutter in his chest all the same.

Prompto mewled and rocked his hips back to meet his alpha's thrusts, which were steadily becoming rougher and more desperate. "I know, doll… Love you too."

Noctis hummed and gently pushed his mega back down towards the bed, onto his hands and knees, and sucked in a breath as the blonde called out his name in ecstasy. "Gonna cum, Prom-"

Prompto looked behind him to lock eyes with his chosen mate, giving him a sultry smirk. " _Do it_."

Noctis moaned as his held onto Prompto's shoulders and held the boy still as he rammed into him roughly a few more times and came, cock twitching and spurting all it had into his mate, filling him up. The feeling of Noctis' semen filling him up cause Prompto to tip over the edge of his pleasure, biting his lip and screwing his eyes shut as he came, shooting spurts of cum over the blankets beneath him.

They both fell onto the bed, panting, catching their breath. Noctis' fingers laced between Prompto's and he laid light, chaste kisses along the back of his neck, at his hairline. He remained buried inside of the omega until his dick finally softened and he pulled out. Prompto grimaced as the semen leaked from his ass to soil the bed even further. One of them would have to do the laundry tonight. He was _not_ sleeping in that.

After a few long minutes, Prompto nudged his alpha. "Dude… For real this time… We have got to get ready for this dinner."

Noctis groaned, wanting to do nothing but lay in bed, holding Prompto close and maybe fucking a few more times. With a laugh, he replied, "Can you even make it out of bed this time?"

Prompto grimaced when he tried to get up, but failed. "Fuck you."

Noctis laughed and pulled him closer. "Whenever you want, babe."


	26. Chapter 25

By the grace of the Gods and the skin on their teeth, Prompto and Noctis managed to make it to dinner on time.

They did their best to wipe themselves down with damp washcloths and get rid of the smell of cum and sex that covered them. Prompto had an ever tougher, more awkward time getting all the cum out of his ass so it wouldn't eventually leak onto where he sat at dinner. Then came the redressing. They couldn't wear the clothes they had on prior to this, no. The clothing smelt too heavily of sunshine and chocobos and it would rat them out for sure. They were supposed to have been in bed sick for nearly a week. At least, that was the story Noctis' father knew to be true. So, they decided to wear different ones. Going for casual jeans and t-shirts. Noctis' shirts were a little big on Prompto, only a little, but it would do sufficiently enough.

They dashed down the hall and into the elevator as best they could, what with Prompto's limited movement. His hips, ass, and legs ached, and walking was turning out to be a bigger chore than he originally thought it would. But he forced his legs to move, to try and seem as close to his usual saunter as he could muster. Walking along the large expanse of the castle to the royal dining hall was plenty of practice. His limp was barely there at all to the trained eye, unless that eye was looking for the limp specifically. And he could almost block out the little jolts of pain down his spine with every footfall. _Progress._

The two boys stopped just before entering the room and Noctis planted a small kiss on Prompto's cheek and tried his best at letting out a soothing scent to calm him. He could tell the boy was nervous to be eating in such close quarters with the king, of whom they had to hide their biggest secret from, after just having mind-blowing sex with one another. And really, who could blame him? But Noctis was pretty calm, all things considered. He'd gotten away with so many things that Regis never even knew about as a kid, even today had no idea, that it was all pretty much an artform at this point. He wasn't worried.

Nah. So long as they acted like normal and didn't overthink anything, they'd be fine. Right?

"Don't worry, Prom. It's just dinner. Be cool."

' _Be cool_?!' Prompto wanted to scream it, but everyone would hear him, so he settled for giving his prince the equivalent of such through a wide-eyed stare of horror, brows knitted and lips tight.

Noctis laughed. " _Dude_. That isn't the face of someone who isn't overthinking things…"

Prompto grumbled, but forced himself to relax a bit. "This is gonna suck, probably."

The prince shrugged. "Maybe _not_? I don't think you have anything to worry about."

" _Hilarious..._ " He replied, voice laced heavily with sarcasm. They had _everything_ to worry about.

Without further ado, they filed into the large room, Noctis leading and Prompto following a same-seeming, just-friends-looking distance behind.

Ignis and Gladiolus were already seated at either side of the table, King Regis sitting at the end. No one had started eating yet, of course, they were waiting on the final two guests of honor, but they all had began sipping idly from their glasses as they did so. The table was long, way longer than needed for such a small group, but it was immaculate. All carved wood and a glass surface that glistened and shone brightly in the light of the chandelier above it. Laid out on the table already was an army of various silver dishes, all carrying delectable food that made Prompto's mouth water just at the sight alone. Meats, vegetables, breads, fruits, deserts, _everything_. All on display.

All eyes were on them as they entered, watching them as they made their way across the room and to the table. Prompto could _feel_ them on him, like physical entities, latching onto his skin and burning him where they sat. He tried not to bite his lips, not to pick at his fingers, or fiddle with his bracelets. He had to seem normal. But, then again, he wasn't trying to act _normal_ anymore, was he?

Normal _now_ was him being in love and together with Noctis. Normal _now_ was taking suppressants to extinguish his scent, hiding that he was an omega from everyone. No, what he had to pretend to be now was _himself_. He had to hide the _real_ Prompto, and it was something he never had to do in his entire life. He was always so open about himself, so accepting of everything that happened to him, good or bad, just rolling with the punches and going with the flow. This new Prompto was always on edge, always worried he'd be found out, never knowing exactly how to act or what to say in front of anyone other than his friends.

Prompto's stomach was turning inside of him and as they stepped closer and closer to the table, he could see King Regis more clearly than before, closer to the man than he had ever been. He tried not to throw up as he plastered on a goofy smile and waved at the royal alpha at the foot of the table. The man smiled at him, but those eyes narrowed slightly. Almost as if trying to figure him out, trying to crack some code presented to him. It sent a wave of fear and doubt through him, and he tore his eyes away from the king as quickly and casually as he could without it looking suspicious.

He happened a glance at the other two retainers instead, and they both smiled to him warmly, Gladiolus throwing in a wink for added affect, and Ignis nodding his head in a small greeting. Good. They didn't seem to be worried about this meal either. That was a good sign. Maybe Noctis was right, maybe he was making this dinner out to be way bigger of a deal than it actually was. Maybe he just needed to calm down and get some food in his belly. He took a deep breath and told his stomach to stop moving around against his will.

Before Noctis could even open his mouth to greet any of them, Ignis was already setting his glass down and giving a dramatic glance down at his wristwatch. "Oh, _Noctis_. So good of you to join us. And not _late_ for once, my, that _is_ a feat worth celebrating."

Regis chuckled at this, smiling at the advisor. "And with a few seconds to spare, as well. That rarely happens." He added his own playful remark to the teasing.

Noctis snorted and rolled his eyes. "Small victories, I guess. Some of your properness must have rubbed off on me recently, Specs." Noctis walked up to his father, pulling the man in a tight embrace. "Hey, dad. Good to see you."

Regis patted his son on the back firmly before pulling away. "Good to see you too, my son." His gaze flitted over to Prompto, who was standing next to an empty chair, shuffling awkwardly on his feet, unsure of where to sit. "And Prompto, my boy, it's wonderful to see you as well. This will be the first time we've had the opportunity to catch up and get to know one another. I'm looking forward to it."

Prompto tensed at the attention, but forced himself to relax quickly after. "Yeah, me too! I'm looking forward to it!" He smiled and nodded a little bow towards the alpha. It was a simple, small gesture, but it might as well have given him whiplash. He felt nervous and hot under the collar from his worrying. Regis' voice was warm and nice, but the omega couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else underneath. But _was_ there? He was probably just worrying over nothing still.

"Well, sit, _sit_! Let's dig in, shall we? Shouldn't let all this magnificent food go to waste." Regis looked between the four of them with a bright face and began placing food onto his empty plate.

The two boys nodded and took their seats at the table. Noctis sat next to Gladio, on the righthand side of the king, and Prompto sat next to Ignis, at the lefthand side. A butler came by and poured the two of them some water in their glasses before leaving just a quick as he had come. Prompto took his glass and downed almost all of it immediately. His throat was so tight and dry, and the cool liquid felt good against the inside of his throat. When he sat the glass down afterwards, probably a little too heavily, he didn't miss the look Gladio was discreetly giving him from across the table. His head was nodded forward, eyebrows up, waggling, and a giant smirk on his face. Not an instant later, the phone in Prompto's pocket vibrated and let out a little "Kweh!", and the blonde scrambled to take it out.

Ignis clicked his tongue t the sound. "Was that a chocobo I just heard?"

Prompto smiled sheepishly and raised his phone up, so the beta could see. "Sorry, that's my notification sound on my phone…" He gave a small, awkward laugh. "My bad. I'll silence it." He moved the phone to his lap to check the screen and pointedly ignored the disappointed look Ignis gave him. Surely, having phones out at the table was bad manners. Probably. Either that, or the man just _really_ didn't like chocobos. Honestly, Prompto wanted to believe it was the first guess. Because _how_ could someone hate chocobos that much? It wasn't possible. Nope. Not at all.

His eyes widened a bit in surprise as he read the blocky text on his screen. It was a text message.

After trying for a few seconds to actually figure out how to open the application to _read_ the text message, Prompto stared and almost choked after it opened. There wasn't a name of who it was from, only numbers. A number that wasn't saved in his phone. Which, at this point, could literally be anyone since the item was so new. The only number in it was Noctis' so far.

 **I made a bet with Iggy that you'd be limping in here today.**

Prompto's eyebrows shot up and his face turned bright red instantly. Even without a name to the words, he knew it was from Gladiolus. He looked up towards the shield, hoping to shoot him a warning glare, but the man was too busy typing away again. The omega's phone vibrated in his hands and he looked down as another bubble of text appeared beneath the first one.

 **I won, by the way. In case you were wondering.**

 **Nice try hiding it, but I know the walk of someone who just got a good dicking when I see it. I see it every morning when they walk out of my room.**

Prompto looked up at the larger man again, his face a crazy mixture of holding in a laugh at the terribly-timed joke and a look of pure mortification at the realization that the man knew exactly what they had been up to not even an hour ago. This time they made eye contact and the shield winked at him, and _Gods_ , Prompto was _so mortified_. He looked around the table at the others and thankfully no one was paying him any attention. They were all too busy eating.

It took him a bit to figure out typing, but after a while, he was sending off his response with a little pout.

 **How do you even have my number, anyways?! I JUST got this phone today!**

Gladiolus responded quickly.

 **Noct.**

Prompto looked across from him and shot a look at Noctis, who was shoveling a big chunk of steak into his mouth. The alpha looked up slight confusion and when Prompto pointed at his phone and then Gladiolus, Noctis merely shrugged.

The omega sighed and shoved the phone into his pocket and tried to will away the heat on his face. He was supposed to be acting normal, damn it! It was normal for the other retainers to have his number, so he couldn't exactly be mad, not really. But it was still embarrassing. _Beyond_ embarrassing. He decided to pointedly ignore the large alpha and grab at his food instead.

"So, Noctis. Prompto." The king's voice called out, cutting through the comfortable silence that had fallen between them, commanding attention without so much as a commanding tone, easily. "What sort of state were you in these past few days? Gladiolus here told me that the two of you were highly contagious, otherwise I would have come and offered my sympathies in person... What sort of symptoms did the two of you have? It must have been awful, to be out of commission for five whole days." His smile was warm, but his eyes didn't quite seem to match it. They weren't cold, not exactly. But they certainly weren't as warm as that smile. They were observative. Calculated.

Prompto tensed under the stare and he felt his skin burn where he was being watched. His almost-mate was still chewing around a mouthful of food, so it was up to him to respond. _Wonderful_. ' _Thanks, Noct_ …', he thought to himself as he struggled to come up with a plausible story.

The retainer cleared his throat and laughed nervously. "Oh, you know, the usual icky sick stuff… Puking our guts out, violent diarrhea, high fevers that have you sweating through your clothes, the works!"

Everyone physically winced and stopped chewing momentarily at the mention of uncontrollable bowel movements, but, well, he had to come up with something terrible. "I probably lost twenty pounds just from being so sick!"

"Oh, my. That does sound terrible… But, it does my heart proud to see the two of you so well. The two of you have seemed to come out of it just fine." Regis took an idle sip from his glace and cut into his baked potato. "Noctis, did you enjoy your party? I hardly got the chance to dance much, but it seemed like _you_ had plenty of fun, dancing with Lunafreya..." Noctis almost choked on his mouthful of food and he scrambled for his water. "…I take it everything is going well between the two of you, then?"

Prompto tried to eat as slowly and as quietly as possible, so as not to attract the king's attention again. He was grateful the man's focus had shifted to his son, even if he also felt a little bad that it was on Noctis now. The food on his tongue suddenly didn't seem so appealing anymore. He looked at Noctis, waiting for the alpha's reply with bated breath. Sure, Prompto knew what Noctis _had_ to say. But it didn't make the upset feeling in his stomach go away.

Noctis looked to his dad and smirked. "Oh, yeah. We had a blast." He seemed so calm and cool in his tone, but Prompto noticed the little nervous shift in his eyes, the way the prince gripped his silverware a little tighter in his hands. "Totally reconnected and made up for lost time. She's really something."

Regis nodded, seemingly happy enough with the reply.

The meal dragged on slowly. Small talk ensued, naturally. Everyone sharing stories from the past week and making teasing jabs at one another. Prompto chewed and swallowed everything on his plate, but the food had no taste. He was staring at his plate, but all of his attention was on the king. The man was staring at him for most of the meal, he could feel it. Everyone's voices echoed in his ears, but it went unheard. All he could hear was a dull static, like from a radio that had terrible reception. His hair stood on end and his skin prickled.

"Noctis." Regis' voice bellowed out softly, drawing the attention of the table. "Do you know what the weather will be like tomorrow?"

It was an odd question. Very odd. And Noctis shared a slightly confused look between everyone at the table before clearing his throat to answer. "Um… _no_? But I'm sure my phone will tell me. I can check, if you want?"

Regis shook his head, waving his hand in dismissal of the idea. "No need. I've taken the liberty of getting the daily paper picked up for me today by one of my kingsglaive… Son, would you mind picking it up and letting me know?" Noctis looked around for the paper, but couldn't find it. "Oh, I apologize. Gerard has it." Regis nodded in the direction of a kingsglaive in the corner of the room. "Ignis, would you mind grabbing it and handing it to my son for me?"

"Certainly." Ignis hesitated a bit before nodding curtly and leaving his seat to pad across the floor and retrieve the wanted item. Prompto watched Ignis' back as he left. Something didn't feel right about this. He watched Ignis take the paper from Gerard's hands and freeze in place. He was far away, but Prompto could se the man's hands shaking slightly from where he stood. The blonde couldn't help himself from digging his nails across his thighs, over his jeans. He looked at Noctis, who seemed to have noticed the same thing. Noctis was tense, his mouth in a hard line. They both looked to Gladiolus, but the alpha just returned his own look of bewilderment.

"Ignis, are you quite alright?" Regis asked, his voice belying something that he clearly understood more than the rest of the men at the table.

Ignis cleared his throat. "…Of course, Your Highness…" The beta turned around sharply, his face hard and steely, belying a mild panic. As if trying to keep a calm face when all he wanted to do was freak out. It wasn't a look Prompto had ever seen on the man, and it certainly didn't suit him. Ignis walked over to Noctis and hesitated only for a moment before offering the folded mass of paper to the prince and looking away.

Regis smiled and brought his glass to his lips. "The weather should be on page twelve, my son."

Noctis took the newspaper and froze. He gripped it tightly in his hands, eyes roaming over the pages frantically. ' _No. No no no no no. This can't be happening. Not now. Not fucking now_.' But it _was_ happening. Because right there, on the front page, was a big picture of Noctis and Prompto sitting next to each other on the dock by the lake, embracing and sharing a tender kiss. Above it was a large headline, written in bold, ' _ **Prince Noctis, Future Mate Of Princess Lunafreya, Enjoys Steamy Romance With His Retainer, Prompto Argentum! Altissia In An Uproar!**_ ' the prince shook his head, eyes jumping back and forth between the title and the picture.

No.

No. This had to be a cruel joke. Some nightmare he would wake up from soon.

He glanced a look at Prompto, and the omega was watching him, all color draining from his face and biting furiously at his lip. Ignis had returned to his seat, and he wasn't looking anyone in the eye. Just staring down at his plate with that hard expression.

He turned the page, trying to get away from it all, but was only met with more incriminating evidence. There were more pictures. One of him and Prompto holding hands in the electronics store. One of them petting chocobos. One of them standing next to each other at the ball. And a final one, a picture of them kissing through the tinted windows of the regalia. Their bodies were dark and shadowy, only the outline of their bodies truly defining them, but it was them all the same. With all the other photos, there'd be no denying that one either. Above the other photos there were more, smaller headlines of mini-articles. ' **Prince Noctis Romping With Secret Omega Sidepiece** ', ' **Princess' Brother Demands Noctis Confront His Demons And Beg Forgiveness** ', ' **Pauper Boy From Lestallum Seduces Future King! How He Flirted His Way To The Top!** ' He crumpled the paper up in his hands and screwed his eyes shut, trying to will his food not to come back up.

There was no point in trying to come up with excuses. His dad knew. Everyone knew. And everything was fucked up.

"Noct…? What's wrong?" Prompto asked, his voice small and higher-pitched than normal. The blonde reached for the paper in his prince's hands and gently tugged it out of Noctis' grip. He spread the pages back out and gasped at what he saw. Prompto could feel Ignis's supportive hand on his shoulder, trying to offer some form of apologies for the situation he was in, but he couldn't feel it. Hs body felt numb and it was hard to breathe. His eyes burned around the edges as he flipped through all the pictures and headlines. Sidepiece? Seduced? It was all wrong. He wasn't what the papers were making him out to be. He didn't seduce anyone! Not on purpose, anyways.

Noctis swallowed heavily as he saw the gathering tears in Prompto's eyes, the quick rise and fall of his chest as he struggled to breathe, and forced his eyes off of the retainer to look to his dad, who was levelling him with a calm, calculated look that let off no clear or distinct emotion. If anything, that was more terrifying than if he were to actually look mad.

"Dad, I…" The words died on his tongue. How did he even begin to explain this? But he couldn't drag Prompto into this discussion. He couldn't bear to see the terrified look on his face anymore. "Please. Can I talk to you… alone?"

Regis shook his head. "No. No one will leave this table. Not a single one of you. Now. Explain yourselves."

Ignis spoke up next, his voice quieter and smaller than usual. "Your Highness, allow me to be the first one to apologize. It's my duty to advise Noctis, to guide him on the right path in his life, to be a great king like I know he can be…" Noctis frowned. Ignis didn't have to apologize for him. It wasn't right. None of this was his fault. "…I feel as though there have been times where I could have been better at this, could have stopped something and said no, or I could have taken matters into my own hands a little better to steer the situation out of trouble's way…" The beta looked up from his plate to give Noctis a soft, apologetic look, then to Prompto, to give a small smile. Then he looked to the king, keeping eye contact as he stood from his seat and bowed low, respectfully. "…But what happened has happened and there is no turning back. We can only look back on it and wish we had done things differently…" He straightened his back, standing tall. "…And I'm sorry to say this, but if I were to go back and relive it, I wouldn't do one damned thing differently." Everyone at the table sat up a little straighter. Did _Ignis_ just cuss at the _King_?

Gladiolus stood up. "Iggy, stop it. The blame isn't all on you." He looked and Noctis, giving him a small nod. "Hell, we _all_ wanted Noctis to go through with the mating with Lady Lunafreya. Your Highness, and forgive me for saying this, but _fuck that_." This time everyone outright gasped at the language being used towards the king, even Ignis. Regis didn't change expression one way or another. He just kept staring with those same dark, calculating eyes. "This guy fell in Noctis' lap like a _damned angel_ from above, and all he's done is made Noctis happy..." He looked to Prompto, who was looking like he was going to cry equally from fear and happiness. "…Yeah, I used to be on the same boat you were. I was mad that Noct was deviating from his path in life. But after a while, I got to thinking, and you know what? _This_ is his path in life. _This_ man right here! And I'll be damned if I let _anyone_ get in the way of that. "He crossed his arms over his chest. "They'd have to get through the prince's shield first. And I aint backing down so easily."

Noctis stood up then, almost causing his chair to fall backwards with the force of it. "Guys, stop it. Don't apologize." He balled his hands into fists as he looked to his father. "Dad. Luna is _great_. She's _wonderful_. She's _too_ good for me, actually. _Way_ too good. But… she's no Prompto. And she never will be. Unlike Ignis and Gladio, I'm not going to apologize to you. Because I'm not sorry for _any_ of it. I _love_ Prompto. And I'm not letting him go. I don't care if he's an omega instead of an alpha. I say it's about time things have changed. If I'm going to be king, Prompto is going to be right here, by my side. Any children we have are going to have a chance at being an omega instead of an alpha. That's just how it'll be. And if you don't accept that, then oh well."

Regis breathed in deeply and focused his attentions to Prompto. "And you, Prompto Argentum, the man of the hour… What do _you_ say about all of this?"

Prompto jumped in his seat and visibly shook. He couldn't stand up like the others. His legs felt too much like jelly and not enough like proper bones. So instead he gripped his fists in his lap and tried to put on some sort of brave face. "I…" He looked at Noctis. "I can't say anything other than… I love Noctis. With all my heart. I'd give my life for him, if I could…" He turned to look at Regis, trying not to hyperventilate or cry as their eyes met. "…I'm sorry about the mess we've made… I'm sorry that we were sneaking around behind everyone's backs, including yours… We'll go to Altissia and talk to Queen Sylva and Prince Ravus, if we have to… But I'm not letting him go. Not now, not ever…"

Regis was quiet for a long time. He took a delicate sip from his glass and set it down softly. "I see… Well then, in that case, you'd better look at that paper and _really_ check the weather… Your trip to Altissia is going to be terrible if it rains."

" _Wait… what_?" Everyone gave the king confused looks, and at that the alpha laughed.

"Noctis, I'd never be mad at who you choose as your mate. If you choose Prompto, and Prompto chooses you, it would make my old soul happy to know that your future is in good hands. Truly." He smiled warmly at his son and Prompto. "It isn't the path I'd have picked for you, but I honestly can't say I think it's a bad one. The two of you clearly love each other… You actually remind me of your mother and I… And I'm not going to break that bond. You know I've always wanted you to be happy, Noctis…" He sighed. "…But, we have to make things right with Altissia. You're still going to be king, and being king means fighting your own battles. I can't fight them for you, son. So, you're going to have to do as Argentum here said and go talk to them."

Everyone stood stalk still, still slightly confused and unable to process what was just said.

Noctis smiled. "…Really?"

Regis smiled back. "Really."

Ignis adjusted his glasses. "We'll set out for Altissia first thing in the morning."

Gladiolus grinned. "I'll make sure to order the ferry tickets."

Noctis walked over to hug his dad. "…Thanks, dad… You're the best…"

Regis hugged him back tightly. "I try to be, son." He teased, smiling at him.

Prompto stood up on shaking legs towards the two alphas. "T-Thank you, Your Highness… I promise, I'll do my best at Noctis side…"

Regis extended an arm and pulled Prompto into the embrace was well. "Please, call me Dad. You're part of the family now, boy. No need to be so formal now."

Tears welled up in the blonde's eyes and he squeezed them happily. "Of course… _Dad_."

"Now, let's finish our meal. There's so much of it, and it's going to get cold!"

Everyone laughed and sat back on their seats, eating happily for the rest of the meal.

"So… when should I expect grandchildren?"


	27. Chapter 26

The rest of the dinner went wonderfully, if not a little awkward. Regis was surprisingly really enthusiastic about their relationship, asking all sorts of questions he never had before, such as "how did the two of you meet?", "When did you first realize you were in love?", "Have you bonded yet?", and of course, the inevitable "When should I expect grandchildren?". The two boys had nearly choked to death on their food at that question, but Noctis had recovered first to say, "It's gonna be a whiiilllleeee before we're ready for kids now, dad…". Everyone had laughed and it was, overall, a wonderful time.

When it all wrapped up, Regis offered another hug to Prompto and Noctis, pulling them in close and saying his goodnights. Gladiolus and Ignis bid them goodnight as well, after discussing what time they should get up and leave for their trip the next morning. Gladiolus was not quite enthusiastic at the prospect of getting on the ferry again, but Prompto was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement. He had never been on a boat before, and so this would be an all new experience, one he would get to spend with Noctis. And really, what could be better?

They walked back to the prince's room, laughing and holding hands along the way, enthusing about the trip that was to come, until they were back inside of Noctis' bedroom, flopping playfully onto the bed.

Prompto laid slayed out across as much of the bed as he could take up, giggling and staring wistfully up at the ceiling. "Oh my _Gods_ , Noct, we were terrified over practically _nothing_ this _whole_ time!" He smiled as the vision of his prince's gorgeous face obscuring his view of the ceiling, staring down at him with a playful smirk. He had crawled onto the bed to lay on top of him.

" _We_? Um, excuse me Prom, but wasn't _I_ the one who was trying to tell you that this dinner would be no big deal?" Noct brought a hand up to ruffle the blonde's hair, properly messing it up. Prompto couldn't find it in him to care. Not when Noctis was so close and so warm on top of him.

The omega scoffed. "Um, don't give me that! You were _just_ as terrified as _I_ was at that table when we got found out! You can't fool _me_ , sir!"

Noctis laughed under his breath and gave a lazy smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I was a _little_ worried…" Noctis lowered his head to kiss Prompto, fingers running through blonde locks. Prompto sighed and wrapped his arms around his alpha's neck, pulling him closer so that there was no more space between their bodies. Noct's mouth was hot and passionate, kissing his omega in delightfully slow, firm presses, angling his head slightly to deepen it easily. After a while he pulled away to place small, loving kisses along the blonde's neck.

Noctis smiled against the skin on his collarbone. "Sooooo this means I can bite you, right…?" There was a childlike sort of hope in his voice, like a kid asking if they could have pizza for dinner. It made Prompto laugh. He felt the gentle scrape of teether over his adams apple and he couldn't help his breath from hitching slightly, mouth biting his lip as he smiled and pushed playfully at the prince's head.

" _No, dummy_! Not until after Altissia. You have to talk to Ravus first!"

Noctis pouted, only half seriously, and pulled away from the boy's neck to look back down on his mate once more. " _Okayyyy… Fiiineee…_ I _guess_ I can wait a little longer…" He smiled as he kissed Prompto again. "But as soon as we get back, you're all mine."

Prompto clicked is tongue and let his fingers play with the short tufts of dark hair at the back of his prince's neck. "You _already_ have me." Noctis' mouth descended on his, hot and wet and eager, and Prompto gasped at the sudden change of passion, arching his back at the feeling of a hand skirting under his shirt to rub gently along his side before resting at his ribs, thumb playfully swiping over a nipple.

Noctis broke the kiss, a small flush on his pale face as he smirked down at his omega. "Can I have you _again_?" As if Prompto wouldn't understand when he meant by that obvious question, he punctuated it with a soft grind of hips, allowing the blonde to better feel the growing bulge in his pants.

Prompto bit his lip to try and stop the smile from spreading across his face, but it failed miserably. "You're insatiable…", he teased, but there was no real unhappiness in his voice. Sure, his legs and hips had finally stopped aching, but he'd happily suffer through it again for this man.

As an answer, Prompto brought his head up to meet Noctis in a sweet, passionate kiss that had the alpha smiling against his lips, that dastardly thumb rubbing circles around the hardening nub of his nipple, making Prompto groan into their mouths.

Noctis pulled away just long enough to rid his omega of his shirt, throwing it to the floor. His leaned back over the blonde again to trail hot, wet kisses down his freckled body, stopping to lavish attention to that needy nipple. Prompto arched into the contact and let out a shaky moan, his fingers in Noctis' hair tightening slightly. While the prince sucked and licked at one nipple, he played with the other, rolling the bug between his fingers and applying little pressured swipes. Each little brush of tongue and lewd wet noise of Noctis' mouth sucking on his skin went straight to Prompto's cock in a surge of electric heat.

He began to squirm beneath his alpha, bucking his neglected erection up into Noctis' hips. Noctis seemed to get the hint, breaking away from Prompto's skin once more to back up a bit and undo the gunner's jeans, hooking his fingers into the waist and locking eyes in a hungry stare as he pulled the material down the blonde's legs and off to the side to join the shirt.

Prompto was now fully naked while his mate was fully clothed, and it left him feeling more than a little apprehensive and vulnerable. He whined, extending an arm out to grab Noctis' shirt and pull him closer. Noctis smirked at his adorably needy partner and allowed his mouth to be devoured by Prompto. It wasn't long at all before the blonde was bringing his prince's shirt over his black-blue hair and off entirely. It still wasn't enough. Prompto's fingers undid Noctis' pants as his tongue delved into his mouth, and when the zipper was pulled down, Prompto pushed the offending material down the prince's legs with his own.

Noctis chuckled breathlessly between kisses as he kicked out of his pants. "You're adorable, Prom… So eager to have me…?"

Prompto nodded, tugging the prince's hips down to meet his own as he grinded up into him.

Even still, Noctis wasn't in any rush to take his omega. He pulled apart from his lover's needy mouth and went to trail kisses along the boy's chest. "Well you're going to have to wait a little longer… I want to spoil you a bit." He flashed his eyes up to meet Prompto's as his teeth scraped over a nibble, driving a little moan out of the retainer. His mouth travelled lower, across his tined stomach, and he held Prompto firmly in place with his hands as his mouth kissed the underside of his leaking cock.

Prompto threw his head back and bit his lips fiercely, a strangled whine sounding in his throat. Noctis' _mouth_ was on his _dick_! This was a thing that was _happening_! His immediate instinct was to try and move closer to that hot mouth, but his prince's hands were holding him still, and so the next thing he thought to do was _grab_ something. He laced one hand through soft strands of dark hair as the other gripped the blankets next to him, tightly. It was just a kiss along his shaft, just under the head, and he was already so desperate for more, so in need of that perfect mouth.

Noctis hummed at the feeling of his retainer's fingers through his hair and showed his appreciation with another kiss, this one a little lower, over the pulsing vein that ran along the underside. He smirked as he could feel Prompto's feet shifting at either side of his body, restless beneath him. It was a heady feeling, knowing that he was absolutely undoing his mate with only a few brushes of his lips. He mouthed along the side of Prompto's shaft, running his tongue down along it as he did so, leaving a sloppy wet trail in it's place. He heard Prompto gasp, felt the flex of muscle beneath his hands.

Prompto screwed his eyes shut. That hot mouth continued to lay hot, wet, open-mouthed kisses over the length of him, and it was driving him wild. The heat left him, only for a moment, before Noctis was darting his tongue out to delve along the slip at the tip, lapping up the gathered precum happily and licking his lips afterwards. His fingers gripped the alpha's hair a little harder, wanting nothing more than to feel that mouth swallow him whole.

Noctis was more than happy to oblige. He swallowed, savoring the bitter taste of Prompto in his mouth, and took the man into his mouth entirely, bobbing his head and gently sucking every time his mouth came back to cover just the head, tongue flattening ad swirling around the thickness of him at each descent. Prompto outright moaned at that, arching his back and curling his toes. The sound was like music to the prince's ears, and to reward his retainer, he released the boy's hips to grip at his thighs instead, allowing him to move however he liked.

Prompto felt those strong hands leave his hips and all he could think was ' _Finally!_ ' as he wasted no time in meeting every downward motion of Noctis' mouth with a shallow thrust upwards of his own, each time brushing a little deeper along the back of the alpha's throat. The sensation felt incredible. Pure melty, searing hot, liquid warmth around his cock, drawing out increasingly embarrassing noises from him that he was only half aware of.

The feeling was short-lived, however, because after only a few thrusts Noctis pulled his mouth off of him with a lewd pop. The hands at his thighs gripped a little tighter as he folded Prompto's legs closer to his chest, raising his ass of the bed a little. Prompto yelped quietly with flustered embarrassment as he was exposed more clearly to his alpha. He watched his mate with rapt interest as he mouthed over his balls, taking one into his mouth and sucking lightly before moving even lower still. Prompto's eyes grew wide and his head fell back to the bed when the unmistakable feeling of Noctis' tongue circled his entrance.

Noctis groaned against his omega as the musky sweet taste of slick covered his tongue. Gods, he loved the taste of Prompto. He lapped greedily at the omega's hole and sucked, lewd, wet sounds escaping his lips and adding to mingle with the sounds of the blonde's soft gasps and shaky breaths. It only served to further excite the prince, pressing down on the back of his lover's thighs a little more as his tongue pushed past the sensitive ring of muscle.

Prompto moaned loudly, trying to push his hips back into that _absolutely amazing_ sensation. His mate's tongue moved and brushed against his insides, delving as far as it could go. It was a strange, foreign sensation, but by no means was it a bad one. The more his muscles relaxed under that skilled tongue, the farther it could travel, sending a white-hot heat up Prompto's spine. His cock, still damp from Noctis' previous ministrations, jumped and twitched against his belly, precum dripping and rolling down and resting in his navel.

Noctis' tongue fucked the omega slowly and deeply, the vast amounts of slick leaking out of him allowing him to enter easily. He was still slightly stretched from their previous round of sex, the alpha could tell, and the thought made his cock ache between his legs with want. No, he wouldn't need any more prep _at all_. He pulled back and wiped the mixture of slick and saliva off his face with the back of his hand, meeting Prompto's glossy eyes with his own. "Spoiled enough?" He teased, a little breathlessly.

Prompto's mind was still up in the high of all of those new sensations, too clouded to come up with a witty response to his mate's playful teasing. He felt boneless and utterly relaxed, body feeling hot and tingly all over. He licked his lips. "Fuck me.", he commanded.

Noctis didn't have to be told twice. Placed Prompto's legs over his shoulders and thrust inside fluidly. Prompto moaned, loving the feeling of being filled by his alpha. He didn't think he'd ever tire of it. It just felt so fulfilling, so _right_. Noctis hands left the blonde's body to roam over his arms, bringing the boy's hands to either side of his head, lacing their fingers together tightly as he thrusted deeply, over and over again.

Noctis looked fondly at his omega through dark eyed clouded with lust as his hips grinded into the other. He was close enough to that gorgeous face to see every freckle, to be able to count every lash on those half-lidded eyes, to see the saliva glistening along that plump bottom lip, but he didn't move to get closer, didn't move to kiss him. He wanted to look at Prompto's face, painted in passion. He was enraptured by it, eyes flitting from one place to another.

Prompto's eyes met his, noticed the intense stare, and his face flushed. His ass tightened up around Noctis' dick and the man above him licked his lips and moaned. He could feel the hot breath on his skin and it made him shiver. He suddenly felt insecure under that gaze, too open and exposed. His grip on the prince's hands tightened, and he let out something between a whine and a moan, but he couldn't bring himself to stop looking into those stormy eyes.

Noctis could tell his mate was insecure, and he squeezed back, hips grinding deliciously into Prompto's prostate once. "Wanna see your face as you cum, Prom. Wanna see how I make you feel.", he offered.

Prompto trembled against those slow, grinding thrusts, eyes searching those of his prince's, and he felt the man's sincerity in his movements, could see the unwavering love and trust in those eyes, and there was no way he could deny his alpha. Flushing a little more, he bit his lip and nodded. He was already feeling close, the passion in Noctis' gaze only fueling the fire in his gut. "Yeah- okay."

Noctis could feel his lover tightening around him every time he went to pull out and thrust back in, and he knew the boy was getting close to release already. He loved watching him. He could clearly see every flutter of lashes, every move of his mouth with every gasp, could see those pupils dilate further, every furrow of his eyebrows at a particularly wonderful brush of his cock inside of him, and it was almost criminal how erotic the boy looked. "You close, babe?", he panted out.

Prompto swallowed thickly as he looked up at Noctis. The man looked so intense and focused, so sexy. Prompto could hear every groan and gasp the prince made as if in surround-sound, voice amplified in his ears at their closeness. Prompto felt so exposed, and he was embarrassed by every noise that came from his lips, every twitch of his features, but he _loved_ it. He loved the thought that Noctis wanted nothing more than to look into his eyes, giving over all attention. He felt _loved_ , cared for. "Y-yeah…"

The corners of Noctis' mouth turned up into a lazy smile and he allowed himself to dip his head down, delivering a short, clumsy kiss. "Go ahead, babe… I got you."

It only took a few more thrusts for Prompto to cum, keeping his mate's gaze as he released all over his own chest. His hands clenched Noctis' painfully tight, mouth hung open in a little "O" shape. Noctis came immediately after, looking at his omega's face as the orgasm hit him. His head dropped to Prompto's heaving chest as he released himself inside of him for the third time that night, filling the blonde up and thrusting shallowly as he rode out his orgasm to completion.

Noctis laid wet kisses along the blonde's chest as they stayed mingled together, waiting for their hearts to calm down and their breath to even out. Once that time finally came, Noctis gently moved his omega's legs off of his shoulders and onto the bed. He pulled out and moved to get something to clean his lover off with.

Prompto watched Noctis wipe him down with a damp washcloth, body too tired to move. He smiled, eyes feeling increasingly heavy with every minute that passed by.

Noctis chuckled. "Tired?"

Prompto scoffed quietly, not making a fuss when Noctis gathered his body up against his chest and moved him to properly lay on the bed. "Whose fault do you think _that_ is?" Prompto accused and sighed when his head hit a soft pillow.

Noctis laughed and placed a kiss on the blonde's temple as he slid into bed next to him, pulling the covers over them. "I suppose mine?"

"Bingo." Prompto yawned snuggled up closely to Noctis, back against his chest and the backs of his thighs against the front of his. He felt Noctis wrap an arm around his torso, pulling him closer and placing a kiss to the back of his head, and he sighed, happily. "I love you."

"Love you too, Prom… Get some sleep, now. We've got a long trip ahead of us tomorrow."

"Yeah… Night."

"Sweet dreams."

…

Prompto opened his eyes slowly, the blurry world around him getting increasingly clearer the more he blinked. The early morning sun was bright, hitting just right in the window to shine brightly in his eyes. The world was quiet, save for the sound on Noctis quietly breathing against the back of his neck behind him. They were still in the same position they had fallen asleep in, bodies close to each other and Noctis' arms splayed lazily over his midsection, the grip having loosened in his sleepy state. Prompto rubbed at his eyes and looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table in front of him.

7:00am.

Early, but not as early as they needed to be up to get ready for their trip. Prompto supposed he could allow his lover another hour or so of sleep.

Sighing deeply with a comfortable contentedness, he snuggled up closer to Noctis and watched the sun continue to rise over the towering buildings and skyscrapers of Insomnia. He watched the cars roam about in the traffic, listened to the feint sound of life in the city. It was beautiful and calming, and he let his eyes drift shut again. Perhaps he'd go back to sleep as well. He was usually an early riser, but he'd make a special exception in this instance.

"Mmm…" Noctis' sleepy grumble sounded from close behind him and the arms over his stomach tightened a little. He felt Noctis stir from his sleep behind him and he smiled.

"Morning, sunshine." Prompto greeted in a sweet whisper as he felt his alpha lay lazy kisses over his shoulder behind him.

"Mmm…" Noctis was by no means a morning person, and therefore words weren't coming to him as easily as they did Prompto. So, he settled with showing his affections through his actions instead.

Prompto gasped as he felt Noctis' morning wood pressing between his cheeks. Instinctively, he pressed back into it, eliciting a drowsy groan from his sleepy prince. Encouraged by the action, Noctis brought his hand around to wrap loosely around Prompto's own erect member, hand gliding over the hot skin languidly and without any sort of urgency.

The omega chuckled under his breath and turned his head to the side to better see his mate. " _Noct_ , we just did it _three whole times_ yesterday, not including when you jerked me off in the tub…!" He half-hearted complaints died on his lips as Noctis' lips covered his own, the press of them soft and gentle and lazy. He swiped Prompto's lips with his tongue and the omega opened up eagerly, meeting Noctis' tongue with his own, the muscles dancing against one another's in their mouths.

' _To hell with it. Lazy morning sex it is._ ' Prompto thought blissfully as his alpha's erection continued to slide between his growingly-slick cheeks.

Noctis hummed happily against his omega's lips and used the hand that wasn't lazily pumping Prompto's cock to slide down his side, past his hip, and to his thigh, lifting it and holding it up gently.

Prompto gasped and moaned as all at once the kiss broke away and Noctis was sliding into him slowly, all the way to the hilt deep inside of him at the same time. Noctis didn't say anything, only let out a slow huff of breath, still to tired to properly make noises. Prompto let his head fall back to rest on the pillow and Noctis nuzzled the hairline at the back of his neck as he thrust slowly into his omega.

The prince burying himself so incredibly deep, it reminded Prompto of that time he was on his hands and knees in front of him, being filled to full he thought he might break. He was feeling that once more, now, his insides slightly burning with the glide and the friction, every thrust laced with only the slightest lick of pain as he was split open incredibly slow.

The hand that was pleasuring Prompto stopped pumping to travel lower, hand splaying out and gripping at his lower abdomen, holding the blonde close to their grinding bodies. Noctis could heel himself moving inside of his omega through his freckled body, the pressure of his hand making him seem tighter, and he groaned against the blonde's back.

Prompto mewled at the sensation and brought a hand up to grip lovingly at the back of Noctis' neck as the alpha continued to place the lightest, delicate kisses at the place just beneath his ear. He could hear the man's rough breath with every sharp exhale and he could feel the prince's member twitching, hot and think inside of him, reaching his deepest places, and it was so incredibly arousing.

"Mmm… S'close, Prom… Sorry." Noctis mumbled sleepily into his ear and nuzzled closer, breathing in his scent and giving his mate a particularly deep roll of his hips, eliciting a high-pitched whine from the boy.

" _Ah_ …!" Prompto cried out quietly as he felt Noctis cum, hard, filling him up and twitching heavily inside of him. He moved his own hand to his cock, pumping himself quickly to completion right behind his lover, spilling over his hand and the blankets over them.

Noctis pulled out and kissed Prompto's cheek. He felt a little bad for finishing first, but by the way Prompto looked at him and smiled sleepily, the omega hadn't minded. "…Morning…" He greeted belatedly in a soft whisper, capturing the boy's lips in a wet kiss afterwards.

"Haha… Morning, sleepyhead. Ready to start the day?"

The alpha nodded. "Yeah... Bath first...?"

Prompto ruffled the man's hair affectionately and nodded. "Sure."

…

"Took you guys long enough! Finally dragged yourselves out of bed?" Gladio called out and waved at Noctis and Prompto as they made their way across the entryway to the citadel, towards the regalia. The shield was leaning against the hood, slightly sweaty tattooed skin glistening in the hot sun.

Ignis was already seated in the driver's seat, bucking up and adjusting his mirrors. "It's going to be a few hours' worth of a journey, but I suspect we'll be arriving at Altissia around one o'clock."

Noctis opened one of the doors to the back seat for Prompto and let the boy slide in first before seating himself next to him. "Cool. Right on time for lunch. Can we grab something from a food stall before going straight to the castle?" The prince flashed his advisor a hopeful, innocent smile.

"I don't see why not." Ignis replied, giving the prince a small smile. "Gladiolus, are you getting in, or are you going to continue being a hood ornament?"

Gladiolus laughed. "Oh, come off it, Iggy." He walked around to the passenger's side and slid into his own seat as Ignis started the car up.

"Buckle up, everyone."

"Yeah, yeah…"

Prompto was smiling, giddy, practically bouncing in his seat. "I can't believe I'm about to ride on a real boat! This is gonna be so much fun!" He gripped his camera fondly in his hands, fingers already itching to take pictures and they hadn't even left yet.

Gladiolus let out a half-hearted groan. "Says _you_."

"What?" Prompto looked to the tattooed man in confusion. "Huh?"

"Gladiolus gets seasick." Noctis supplied easily, slipping an arm around his chosen mate's shoulder.

"Oh. Ew. Don't barf on me, dude."

The alpha chuckled. "Oh, I'm gonna _purposely_ single you out to barf on."

Ignis rolled his eyes and sighed. "No one will be barfing on anyone, not if I have any say in the matter."

They all laughed, and Ignis began pulling out of the parking lot.

"Wait, hold up! Wait for me!"

They shared looks of confusion before turning their heads towards the entrance to the castle, where Nyx Ulric was sprinting towards them. To everyone's surprise, the kingsglaive beta grinned before throwing a curved dagger towards the vehicle to wedge itself into the concrete next to a wheel. In a flash of blue magic and a blink of an eye, Nyx appeared right along with it, grinning and tugging the weapon out of the ground.

Ignis looked to the man, brows furrowed in frustration. "Please refrain from possibly causing harm to the vehicle, Mr. Ulric…"

Nyx shrugged, offering only a slightly apologetic smile. "Sorry, Iggs. Wanted to get here before you all set out." The ma was actually dressed casually for once, only adorned in loose-fitting jeans and a dark grey t-shier with the Insomnian crest over his left pec. His hair fluttered behind him in the light breeze, the jewelry that adorned it glittering in the sunlight.

Gladiolus offered the man a firm handshake. "What brings the famous Nyx Ulric here?", he teased.

The beta smiled. "Got a few rare days in a row off. Was hoping to go on a little vacation of sorts. Wanted to know if I could maybe catch a ride with you guys? Don't worry, it'll only be for the trip up. I can hitch my own ride coming back. I'll be there for a few days longer than you guys."

Ignis looked at Noctis through his rearview mirror. "Noctis, it's up to you."

Noctis made a show of looking the man up and down. "Yeah, sure. He can come along."

Nyx nodded. "Thanks, Noctis. I owe you one." He threw his overnight bag into the trunk of the car and Noctis slid over so that the man had room.

Prompto leaned over to look at the man around Noctis' body between them, a toothy grin in his face. "Hey! I'm Prompto, it's nice to meet you."

Nyx smiled and reached over to shake the blonde's hand. "So I see! You're the one who's all over the papers, right?"

Prompto's smile faltered a bit as he brought a hand to scratch the back of his head. "Yeah, haha… That's me."

Nyx looked him over before smirking at Noctis. "Nice piece of ass you got there, Caelum."

Noctis smirked back at him, though his eyes held the glitter of a challenge. He pulled Prompto a little tighter to his body. "You don't even know the _half_ of it."

Prompto blushed furiously. " _Noct!_ "

Nyx snorted. "It's cool, Noct. I'm not after your man. I have my eyes set on _bigger_ fish." The alpha visibly relaxed, releasing his grip on Prompto a bit. "It's nice to finally meet you in person, Prom. It's not every day a simple guy like me meets a _celebrity_."

This made Prompto smile shyly. He supposed, with all the news of him out right now, he _was_ technically a celebrity at this point. He brought his camera up to his face to the kingsglaive could see it. "Care for a _picture_ with one, too? You could sell it for _hella_ gil right now, probably."

Nyx grinned wide. "I like you, kid."

The regalia pulled off into the bustling city, the sound of laughter filling the air around them as they began weaving through the traffic. This trip was going to be a memorable one, indeed.


	28. Chapter 27

" _OH MY GODS, NOCT- LOOK! IT'S THE OCEAN!_ "

Prompto's eyes grew wide, practically glittering, as the high walls of rock on either side of the road faded out to rolling downward hills of bright grass. The road could be seen in a snake-trail-like path all the way through the lush green until it stopped at a small parking lot at the bottom of the hills. After that? Nothing but crystal-clear ocean water and an expanse of soft, white sand as far as the eyes could see.

It looked like heaven and Prompto shot up out of his chair, standing on his knees in his seat, both hands bringing his camera up to his face so that he could snap away at the unbelievable sight before him. Noctis started at the sudden change in Prompto's stance before acting quickly and holding him steady with an arm around the blonde's waist as the regalia turned one of the sharp curves, making their way steadily downhill.

" _Seatbelt_ , Prompto." Ignis called from the driver's seat, turning an unamused expression in the prince's direction through the rearview mirror.

The look went mostly unnoticed as Noctis smiled and rubbed little circles into Prompto's midsection with his thumb as he held the blonde close, watching the adorable expression on his mate's face, hair and vest blowing in the wind. "It's cool, Iggy. I've got him."

"Yeah, be nice, Specs. The kid's never seen the ocean before." Gladiolus chimed in without looking up as he flipped to the next page in his novel.

"Noct! Do you _see_ how clear that water is?!" The omega gasped and pointed out towards the shore, in the direction of a small bait shack. "And _look_! They have a dock over there, to the right! You could go _fishing_ , Noct!"

"There's hardly the time for all of that, now..." Ignis reprimanded lightly, not much bite to his tone. After all, he was enjoying the blonde's reactions in his own quiet way. He didn't _really_ want to let the boy down too much.

Although the thought of fishing was a nice one, Noctis had to agree with Ignis. "Yeah, Prom. Maybe there'll be time for fishing later."

The advisor pulled the car into the parking lot and carefully reverse-parked his way into a parking spot. Prompto didn't even wait for the vehicle to be shut off properly before hopping over the door and full-on _sprinting_ through the parking lot as fast as he could, until his shoes kicked up sand instead of hitting asphalt. Noctis wasn't too far behind him, laughing to himself at the scene.

Nyx exited the car and stretched. Being crammed into the back seat with two other boys for a few straight hours had done a number on his back. "Can't believe the kid's never been to Galdin Quay. I thought _everyone's_ been here.", the kingsglaive mused aloud as he moved to get his bag out of the trunk.

"Well, Prom hasn't exactly had the _luxuries_ most people here have, growing up…" Gladio responded carefully as he watched Prompto and Noctis have a _sand fight_ , of all things, off in the distance. "…He's had no home, no family, not even a _car_ … And getting here on foot would be a couple of days' worth of a journey. I don't think he has camping gear either, so that would have been out of the question, what with all the daemons lurking around at night."

Nyx nodded as he let that knowledge sink in. "I see…"

"Well, we've already preordered our tickets, and the ferry doesn't set off for another fifteen minutes… I suppose it wouldn't hurt to allow him a little more time to enjoy the beach." Ignis smiled fondly and watched as Noctis was tackled by Prompto in the distance, face pushed into the white sand and his arms restrained behind his back, being told to say 'Uncle!'. "But only for a little while. We _are_ on a business trip, of sorts, after all."

The trio watched Noctis phase out from under the blonde, shimmering in a transparent blue until he solidified behind the confused omega and shoved him into the sand as revenge. A whiney, 'Hey! No phasing! That's cheating' could be heard over the sounds of the rolling waves and they all gave a little chuckle before making their way to the dock to grab their tickets.

…

Prompto lifted himself off the sand by his hands and knees, shaking his hair and watching as the tiny sand particles fell from his head. The tiny grains were warm under his hands, hot from the sun. More san had travelled down his shirt, and he wriggled a little in order to get rid of those grains as well, but it only worked a little. After clenching his teeth a few times, he realized that the inside of his mouth was gritty as well, and he did his best to spit the sand out of his mouth. He probably looked silly, shaking and spitting on the ground, but Prompto couldn't bring himself to care. The play fight had been so much fun, and he'd gladly do it again, if given the opportunity. And next time, he'd win.

Noctis, although standing, was in much the same state as his blonde counterpart, wildly shaking his head and brushing off his clothes and shaking out his shoes. He felt some sand in his pants and grimaced a bit at the feeling, but he'd just get that out later as well.

Noctis extended a hand and the blonde took it gratefully, a playful grin plastered on his freckled face. "Truce?", Prompto offered.

Noctis laughed as he agreed. "Truce… For now." He kissed Prompto before taking his hand. "Come on, let's get closer to the water."

Prompto didn't have to be told twice. It may have been Noctis who initiated the hand-holding, but it was Prompto who was leading the way, practically tripping Noctis with how fast he was going, all too eager to be closer to the shore now that it was at the forefront of his mind again. Pretty soon, their shoes were making contact with the waves rolling steadily onto the shore.

"Noct! The water is so clear, I can see the fish!" Prompto beamed as he brought his camera to his face once more, snapping away at anything and everything that caught his eye.

"Bet you want to dive right in, huh?" Noctis smiled, hands on his hips, watching the gunner with amusement.

Prompto turned his camera towards his lover and took a quick couple of shots before lowering it and giving the alpha a little shrug. "I can't really swim, actually... Never had anyone to teach me."

Noctis sat down and began taking his boots and socks off. "Well, Ignis would probably never let us go swimming right now, but you don't _need_ to know how to swim if you only _stand_ in it, right? We can do _that_ , at least.", he offered, rolling up his pants and giving the blonde and playful smirk.

"You are correct on that, sir!" Prompto began following in his prince's footsteps eagerly as the three other men in their party began treading towards them from the boardwalk.

Ignis pulled out the chair of one of the many umbrella-covered tables along the beach and sat in it, a fresh can of Ebony in hand. "Don't get your clothes wet, we are meeting with _royalty_ , if you recall." He sighed only half-heartedly as Noctis and Prompto waved him off dismissively and padded knee-deep into the salty water, hand in hand. Prompto was adorable, stumbling around like a baby deer learning to walk for the first time amidst the push and pull of the water, all laughs and childlike excitement.

Gladiolus pulled up a seat next to him and pulled his novel out, attempting to pick up where he had left off in the car. "Hey, I'm all for it. Maybe if they get too wet to be considered presentable, we won't have to get on this boat."

Ignis rolled his eyes. " _Haha_. Very clever, but that isn't going to work. If they get covered in ocean water, they will simply have to sit in it and be miserable. I will _not_ be late." He took a sip of his coffee. There was actually no specific time frame in which they were expected to be there, but, well, Ignis was going to be punctual nonetheless. It was just in his nature.

Nyx stood sat down on the other side of Ignis, arms folded as he watched the two other boys search for seashells along the shoreline. A long, comfortable silence fell over them.

"…They're very in love, aren't they?" He mused aloud, a wistful tone in that rough voice. "…Almost makes you feel like finding someone to bond with."

Ignis clicked his tongue. "Hardly. I am in no hurry to rush _that_ along."

"Hell, I'd already _have_ someone bonded to me if _this_ motherfucker didn't happen to be the best cock-blocker in all of Insomnia!" The shield chided, laughing as he did so. "I swear, _every_ time I get close to landing a date, or any time I have someone _this_ close to sharing my bed with me for the night, Ignis calls me like he has some sort of _sixth sense_ and asks me for a favor. Either that, or there's some crisis happening with Noctis."

Ignis turned about five shades of pink, and the men highly doubted it was due to sunburn. "You're _imagining_ things, surely... Why would _I_ want to stop you from indulging yourself in experiencing half the kingsglaive? By all means, do as you like. I'll try not to _need_ you so often."

The alpha laughed and playfully elbowed his friend in the ribs. Ignis had basically called him a slut, but it was all in good fun, right? Probably. Mostly. Hell, he wouldn't be able to deny it anyways. Gladiolus _did_ enjoy a warm body in his bed every now and again, and with so many sexy people in the world, why should he be exclusive? He'd settle down when he was good and ready. "Nah, I'm only joking. You're good."

Nyx sighed, the humor of the situation seemingly lost on him for the time being. "…You guys believe in love at first sight?"

That question was certainly enough to rouse the other two men from their playful bickering. Gladiolus folded a page in his book before closing it and Ignis set down his can of Ebony, both men giving their full attention to the other. The kingsglaive was acting decidedly different than how he usually acted. Something must have been on his mind, that much was evident.

"…You sayin' you're in love, Ulric?" Gladiolus asked.

"I do recall you saying you were after _bigger_ fish..." The advisor added, a curious glint in his eyes.

Nyx turned to face them more directly, sighing. "Well… I don't know about _love_ … Not yet, anyways. We only met briefly, at the ball."

Ignis' eyes sharpened behind his glasses and the corner of his mouth lifted into a subtle smirk. " _Ah_. Could you, perhaps, be talking about Lady Lunafreya?"

Gladiolus' brows rose as his eyes shifted between the advisor and the Galahdian. How did Ignis put that together? He hadn't even really _participated_ in the event. Really, the beta's wit was truly something to not be underestimated. But the shield was almost certain he would have guessed that same answer eventually, had Ignis not solved the whole thing in three seconds. "What?! Lunafreya?! _Damn_ , Ulric. That _is_ quite the big fish… You _do_ know she's a princess, right?"

"Of _course_ I know that!", the kingsglaive retorted, clicking his tongue and giving the man a look. "I'm not blind or dumb. I knew who she was… But…" His eyes obtained that far-off look of someone remembering something reminiscent. "…I don't know. I saw her, and she was _so_ beautiful. And then I got the courage to talk to her, and she's so _witty_ and _funny_ , and- I dunno, guys. I can't get her out of my damned head." The trio waved fondly back after Prompto waved to them from the water, one hand full of shells. "…At first, I was going to give up, you know? No point in pining after a _princess_ , after all... But then… I look at _these_ two, and I start to think… maybe there _is_ some hope, you know?"

Ignis pondered the fellow beta's words for a moment. "So that's why you came with us? To see her again?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I don't know if she'll even _remember_ me, but… I gotta try."

Gladiolus reached over to clap a large hand on Nyx's muscular shoulder. "Hey, you miss one hundred percent of the shots you don't take, am I right? Go for it, kid. I'm rootin' for you."

"Thanks, guys. Means a lot."

The three men put an end to their secret discussion as Prompto ran up to them, Noctis in tow, and proudly placed all his shells on the table, smiling triumphantly. "Look how many shells I found! Can you believe it?!" He stared down at them, hands on his hips and puffing out his chest, as if he accomplished a great feat against all odds. They could _see_ Noctis physically holding himself back from hugging the blonde and assaulting him with smooches.

Nyx snickered. "Shells? On the _beach_? Wow, what a rare find!"

Gladiolus shook his head, mocking amazement. "Never thought I'd live to see the day."

Prompto didn't seem to take their joking to heart, but even so Ignis smacked the other two young men on the backs of their heads for the omega's sake all the same. "Oh, hush. You're all being rude." He couldn't help the fond smile that overtook his calm features as he looked over the shells, touching a few and turning them over in his hands carefully, as if they'd break. "They _are_ rather pretty."

The blonde seemed pleased by that response, grinning from ear to ear. "That's good! Cause I got them just for _you_. You know… to thank you for your help… earlier…" He was, of course, referring to when Ignis had took it upon himself to protect and accompany the omega during his heat, but couldn't bring himself to mention it specifically. Prompto quickly changed subjects and took Nyx's wrist, pulling him out of his seat and pushing his camera into the man's rough hands. "Hey, Nyx! Be a pal and take a few pictures of Noctis and me by the water…? … _Pleaaaseeeee_?"

How could he say no? The boy looked like a damned angel. "Sure, kid. _Anything_ for _that_ face." He ignored the slightly sour, jealous expression from Noctis as he allowed the blonde to pull him by the arm, closer to the water.

"Make it quick, guys. We leave in five minutes!" Gladiolus called after them. He turned to look at his friend and chuckled as he watched the man gather up the shells and place them in his pocket. "You're seriously going to keep those, Specs? The ocean has thousands more, just like them."

The beta looked away, blushing slightly. "…I'm going to _cherish_ them, naturally. They were a _gift_ , after all. It would be unbecoming of me to throw them out…"

…

" _Oh my Gods, oh my Gods, oh my Gods_ , I'm seriously about to get on a _real life boat_!" Prompto squealed and clutched his ticket close to his chest as he took his place in line, bouncing slightly on the tips of his toes.

Noctis stood in line behind him, smirking as he brought his arms around his lover's waist and settled his head on the blonde's shoulders in order to force some form of calmness in him. "It's actually pretty boring, I promise. Nothing to do but sit and watch the water."

Prompto scoffed, but leaned into his alpha's body, embracing the warmth and that rainy lavender scent around him. " _Yeah_ , only because you've probably ridden on _thousands_ before!"

The prince didn't confirm or deny it, just laughed under his breath and gave a small kiss to the omega's cheek, which Prompto returned earnestly.

Ignis stood in line directly in the middle of the group of friends, his prince and his lover in front of him, the shield and the kingsglaive behind him. His brows furrowed as he began picking up conversations from around him. Conversations that were going blissfully unnoticed by Noctis and Prompto, apparently. Perhaps even by Gladiolus and Nyx, who were having a light discussion themselves. Ignis could hear the fellow patrons talking, ears acutely tuned to harsh wording and unfriendly tones. He shifted on his feet a bit where he stood, eyes roaming over the other men and women behind and in front of them all.

Everyone seemed to be staring at Noctis and Prompto, who were openly showing their affections. They were whispering about the pair. Rude, mean, awful things relating to the serious problem at hand between the two nations. Of course, Ignis naturally expected this. But it was still concerning and off-putting, having so many people unhappy with the future king and the blonde who deserved no ill thoughts of any kind.

Speaking of ill thoughts, _another_ crossed his mind. One ill thought in particular, _specifically_ by the name of Ardyn Izunia.

The very mental image of the man was enough to turn his expression sour and make his stomach churn in his gut. There was no way they all would avoid the chancellor while they were in the castle. There was no doubt that the man would say something to Prompto, would probably act the part of a perfect gentleman, and the omega wouldn't even have clue that almost a week prior the alpha had tried to rape him in his weakened state. Not to mention, neither of the retainers had even so much as mentioned the incident to Noctis. If Ignis had to make a guess, he'd assume that Prompto hadn't told the prince either, which posed an even larger problem.

 _Sure_ , it had be easy enough to Protect Prompto from the chancellor until this day. After all, the man lived an _entire_ nation away. But now, they would be in close contact with the man. There would be no getting around him. And if Noctis were to figure out what had happened to his chosen mate while he was elsewhere, Ignis didn't think it would be an easy feat reigning the alpha in from trying to murder Ardyn. No, they couldn't very well enter that castle without telling the boys everything. The truth had to come out, or things would escalate.

Clearing his throat, he turned towards Gladiolus and whispered, "Gladiolus. We need to talk. It's about Ardyn."

Just the mention of the man's name brought a scowl to the shield's face, and he politely dismissed his conversation with Nyx to engage in Ignis'. "…Yeah?"

"We need to tell Prompto... He doesn't know who tried to assault him, and he needs to be prepared if Ardyn tries to do it again…"

"…You think he'd try again, with all of _us_ here?"

"…We can't assume he _won't_ , although the prospect is more than a little concerning…" More than concerning, it would be outright stupid and a blatant insult to Noctis and his party, perhaps even an insult to Insomnia itself. But knowing Ardyn's flamboyant words, demeanor, and actions, the advisor couldn't put it past him to try.

Gladiolus nodded once, firmly. "…Okay. We'll tell _him_ … What about Noctis?"

Ignis sighed. "…I think it should be up to Prompto, whether or not he wants Noctis to know… It isn't our place to tell him... Prompto might not _want_ him to know… Most people who've been attacked don't…"

Gladiolus frowned but nodded in agreement. It wasn't their place to tell Noctis something so humiliating and personal to Prompto. "…Okay. When should we do it?"

"It will need to be done before we get off the ferry. That will be the only time we can get him away from Noctis to discuss the situation."

"Gotcha. Just give me the signal when you're ready."

Ignis nodded and turned his attention back to in front of him, as the line began moving steadily, all passengers beginning to board.

…

The line had moved steadily, passengers boarding promptly and orderly, filling up seats at random. Noctis gave Prompto the honor of picking where they all would sit, and the blonde had excitedly chosen a row in the middle left, allowing himself the window seat. And really, who was going to argue? It wasn't anything the others hadn't seen.

Prompto pressed his hands and nose against the glass of the window, staring down at the rolling waves and the blurred forms of bass that swam beneath it. "Wow… The water's so deep, but I can still see the bottom!"

Noctis hummed his acknowledgement, smiling as he rested further back in his seat and allowed his eyes to drift closed. The gentle rocking of the waves felt nice, soothing, and the thought of napping the entire trip to Altissia was seeming more than a little appealing.

Gladiolus, on the other hand, took his usual place in the aisle seat, hands over his gut and face in a green grimace. "Fuck boats."

Nyx took the seat next to the shield, allowing Ignis to remain in the center of the four of them. "I quite like boats, actually. You know, boats are safer than cars."

"Only because there's less people driving around on the fuckin' _ocean._ "

Nyx laughed and nudged his friend playfully, but this only seemed to jostle the man in his seat even more, causing him to barely suppress a gag. "I guess you have a point there, but I'm still saying you're just biased on it."

"Fair enough."

A kind employee came down the aisle, smiling at the men. "Can I interest you in anything to eat or drink, gentlemen?"

Like a dog who had just noticed a squirrel in the yard, Prompto's head snapped in the woman's direction, eyes sparkling. "You can get _food_ here?!" He turned his attention to Ignis, practically throwing himself across Noctis' lap to grab the beta's hands in his own, eyes pleading. "Can we get snacks, Iggy? Can we?! _Pleaseee_? I'll be good, I promise!" Noctis seemed unaffected by being smothered by the other boy, merely screwing his eyes shut tighter and mumbling something unfathomable.

"Of course, Prompto." He kindly took a menu from the attendant and handed it to the omega. "But only _one._ We don't want to spoil dinner."

Prompto snatched up the menu happily and scanned the pages with bright, sky-blue eyes. Those eyes grew wider and he gasped, holding the menu up to Ignis' face and pointing at a picture of a giant ice cream sundae, topped high with whipped cream, nuts, chocolate, and caramel, a single cherry of top. "This one! I want this one!"

Ignis observed the picture before focusing his eyes on the blonde, a look of incredulousness on his face. "This says it feeds _three_ people."

"I'll share it! Please?!"

The advisor sighed heavily but couldn't hold in the small smile when he took the menu away from Prompto, handing it back to the attendant. "One of those, then."

The woman nodded and bowed politely. "Of course. Right away."

The boat took off shortly after. Prompto had the giant bowl of ice cream in his lap. Food seemed to be the only thing Noctis would open his eyes for, and they were sharing their meal happily, easing off one another's spoons. Prompto multitasked occasionally, taking selfies with his chosen mate while they ate. Noctis had told Prompto to delete almost every last one of them, claiming that his eyes were closed or his mouth was hanging open, or some other excuse, but the blonde objected. "No way, dude! I love these pictures!" That gained the boy a dab of whipped cream to the nose, which Noctis happily and smugly licked up afterwards. Which, of course, just turned the meal into an excuse to cover each other's faces in topping just to kiss and lick it off.

Nyx watched the scene with amusement, occasionally using a carefully hidden spoon of his own to nab a few mouthfuls of melting ice cream while the two distracted themselves. Gladiolus just did his best to tune it all out, eyes closed and head resting on the back of the seat in front of him.

Ignis kindly denied any offering of the desert, and instead took to checking the news on his phone, trying to access the situation before they arrived.

When the ice cream had finally been finished off, Noctis settled back into a comfortable sleeping position in his chair and Prompto had taken to happily looking through the saved photos on his camera. Now was a good a time as any to pull the omega to the side.

Ignis turned to Gladiolus and reached across Nyx to gently tap him on the thigh, rousing the man's attention. "Gladiolus. It's time."

"Time for what?" Nyx asked, but shrugged as he was ignored.

Gladiolus swallowed thickly, unfocused eyes struggling to bring the world around him into clarity. "…Yeah? Alright- let's- " He placed a hand over his mouth, containing the urge to vomit. " -Let's find some place quiet…"

Ignis nodded and turned to Prompto. "Prompto, a moment please? We wish to discuss something with you."

The blonde nodded. "Sure, Iggy." He handed his camera to Nyx as the three of them got up to walk away. "Here, Nyx. Look at these cool shots and tell me which ones you like. I'll print them out for you later!"

The kingsglaive smirked. "Thanks, kid. Will do."

…

"Sooo… What's up, guys?" The omega leaned against the railing of the ferry, the wind rolling over his body as the boat rocked over the waves.

Gladiolus leaned heavily against those same rails, gripping them tightly while crouching next to him, his head between his legs. "I'm gonna…. Let Iggy handle… this one, but… it's about… that night."

"That night?" Prompto repeated, quirking his head to the side and furrowing his brows in confusion. "What night?"

Ignis readjusted his glasses. "He is referring to the night you started your heat."

Prompto tensed a little, frowning. "…Oh. Okay… What about it?"

Ignis hesitated, unsure of how to start. "It's about the man who assaulted you…" He frowned a bit as the blonde visibly tensed further, gripping the railing and struggling to keep up eye contact. "…The man who did it is going to be in Altissia. There's likely no way we will be avoiding him…"

Prompto bit his lip and nodded. "Um… okay… Who- who is it?" He tried to will his heart to stay steady, to not begin to panic. He would have loved to leave that bit of knowledge about his life behind, like a far-off bad dream, but he knew the significance of he other retainers' concerns, and he understood the need to have the discussion, especially if they were going to come face to face with the man in the near future.

"Ardyn Izunia" Gladiolus' voice sounded gruffly, from his spot on the ground. "He's the chancellor- of Altissia."

"Prompto, I want you to understand that this man, that this very _situation_ , is a dangerous one for you… Ardyn is an alpha. And we both know alphas can have a very high… _persuasion_ … of sorts, over omegas…"

Ignis was talking slowly, trying to choose his words delicately, so as not to hurt the other retainer, but Prompto was already going over the same thought in his mind, far less tamely. ' _Ignis is basically saying that he can command me to…_ ', he didn't finish that thought. He didn't want to. His chest tightened, and he turned around to look at the ocean, hoping the calm scene would reach his soul and allow him to act the same. Unfortunately, it would have no effect.

"…Have you, by any chance, talked about this situation to Noctis..?"

Prompto shook his head, solemnly. "…No… I haven't… I was hoping I wouldn't have to. It isn't exactly something I want to acknowledge as truth…"

Gladiolus nodded. "I get how you feel, and we don't blame you for that…"

"Indeed. It's up to you whether or not you'd like to tell Noctis. We won't decide that for you. But…" The advisor moved to stand next to the blonde, meeting his worried gaze for a moment before the freckled boy broke it again. "…Just know that we are here for you, if you ever need help, or if you need to talk. And don't feel like you have to face this alone. We are all right by your side, including Noctis."

The shield chuckled quietly. "I'll punch a motherfucker… if I have to…", the tattooed man warned between deep breaths, that dastardly grin painting his sweaty face.

Prompto smiled through his rising anxiety, happy that his friends were so wonderful. "Thanks, guys… I'll be careful. I promise."

Ignis patted him on the back. "Now, let's enjoy the rest of the ride, shall we?"

…

After a few more hours, the ferry finally docked at Altissia, the passengers filing out one by one. Nyx wasted no time in getting them a limo, one with tinted windows. By this time, everyone had grown aware of the eyes on them, of the hushed insults.

Prompto sat in the limo, seated closely to Noctis. He stared out the window, but the scenery was all a blur as he lost focus, too busy worrying himself with possible scenarios of what was to come.

Noctis could smell the worry rolling off of him, and he took the omega's hand in his own, lacing their fingers together. He leaned in close and nuzzled the blonde before delivering a small kiss to his temple. "You okay, Prom?", the prince whispered into his ear.

Prompto laughed nervously. "Y-yeah, I'm good. Just… worried about you. And all of.." He gestured to their surroundings. " - _this_." It wasn't _entirely_ untrue. Prompto _was_ worried about whether or not their treaty and peace between Insomnia and Altissia could be repaired. But he wasn't about to let the prince in on his secret, the events between him and Ardyn, the worry over it happening again. No, that was something he'd rather not talk about. Noctis would react in no emotion other than anger, the blonde was certain of it. Anger over the other alpha, and maybe even anger towards him. Maybe Noctis would blame Prompto in some way. Or maybe he would think Prompto was used goods.

It wasn't a good thought, and it probably held no real substance in reality, but they were the omega's thoughts all the same. The fear of Noctis not loving him any more because he was _tainted_ , _filthy_ , because of Ardyn was resonating in him like a bell, crisp and loud and ringing in his ears. He feared that his prince wouldn't want him anymore, knowing the other alpha had gotten to him first, had _almost_ had him.

The fact that Prompto didn't actually remember any of it happening was a blessing to him. If he had to mentally relive the experience over and over again in this moment, he was sure he'd scream. Instead, he squeezed Noctis' hand and shifted a little closer into the warmth of his side.

"Don't be worried. It'll all work out, I promise. Trust me."

He _did_ trust Noctis. With his life. "I trust you." The blonde kissed his lover softly and pulled away to look into those stormy blue eyes that held so much love for him he could cry. "Always."

Noctis smiled. "Good."


	29. Chapter 28

"My Lady. We have a problem." Gentiana rushed into Lunafreya's room, voice urgent and ears desperately trying to mentally place where the princess was inside her quarters.

Luna, who had been brushing out her hair at her vanity, looked at her handmaid's reflection in the mirror before swiftly turning around to actually look at her. Never before had she seen such unease on the woman's face. She placed the ivory brush back onto the surface of her vanity, and Gentiana tipped her head in that direction, finally pinpointing where her charge was in the room.

"Gentiana, what ever is the matter?" It wasn't like the woman not to knock before entry, even more unlike her to furrow her brows and frown with apparent worry. The raven-haired woman turned to walk closer to the princess, a bundle of papers in her shaking hands. "What's that?"

Gentiana shook her head. "I'm not too certain, but it's what everyone in Altissia is talking about, My Lady. Everyone's gone mad! It's all over the news, as well. I overheard one of the reports on a radio as I was making my way through the castle this morning." Her words were so rushed, so frantic, Lunafreya hardly knew what to do in order to console her.

The handmaid stopped perfectly, right in front of the other woman, and extended the newspaper in her hands. Lunafreya took it without hesitation and tensed as her eyes swiped over the bulky print and large pictures. It was clearly Noctis and Prompto, sharing a special moment in what they thought was seclusion. The lovely photo completely clashed with the harshness of the headline, and before she could stop herself, she began to shake herself. Although, unlike her female companion, it was anger that had her trembling. " _Of course_ , it all makes sense now…" With a huff, she threw the paper to the ground. "I _knew_ the chancellor was up to something. I can't _believe_ he'd do this, of all things!" The alpha shot up from where she was sitting to instead pace around the room.

"…My Lady…?" Gentiana asked, brows furrowed in confusion. "…Does this mean the articles are a lie..?"

Lunafreya huffed. "There is _some_ truth to them, yes. Noctis and Prompto are in love, that much is true… But they were hardly doing it behind my back! I gave them my full support! I should have _known_ something was amiss as soon as I smelt Prompto on that- that- " She couldn't bring herself to curse. It wasn't in her nature. " - _dreadful man_!"

"My Princess, whatever Ardyn has done, it has the entire nation _seething_. They believe Insomnia has _insulted_ you, has insulted _them_! You must do something about this."

Luna nodded, firmly, and slipped on a pair of shoes. She was still in her night gown, but that was hardly an issue at this point. There were much more pressing matters at hand than what she would be seen in. "Trust me, Gentiana. If Ardyn did this, he wasn't alone. If I had to guess, I'd say Ravus was the one behind all of this."

Gentiana followed closely behind the princess as she stomped out of her room and down the hall, making her way down the stairs and towards the throne room. "Ravus? Why ever would he want to bring such chaos?"

"I wouldn't put it behind him. He's seemed less than delighted at the prospect of Noctis and I mating ever since mother announced it. He never like King Regis or his family, ever since father died in the war against Tenebrae and Insomnia never came to his aid. But that was a different _time_ , a different _war_! He can hardly blame Noctis and Regis for that!" The blonde picked up her pace as she stalked through the castle. "I need to tell mother about all of this. This entire grudge is ridiculous!"

Her hands met with the doors to the large throne room and she shoved them roughly with all her strength, sending them flying open and crashing against the wall on either side of her. The guards who were standing watch jumped and readied their weapons towards her, but quickly looked between one another in confusion before lowering them again, clearly not understanding what was going on. "Mother, I- " Her words got caught in her throat as she gazed up at the magnificent throne, large chair made of pure gold, a single, thin staircase leading up to it, with a lovely waterfall of water splaying down on either side of it, like a babbling brook.

The person seated in the throne was not the queen, but none other than Ravus himself, crossing his leg over the other and looking down at her with a bored expression, his head leaning against the palm of his hand as he did so. Who else would be at his side other than Ardyn? The fellow alpha was standing daintily by the prince's side, one elbow resting against the back of the chair where Ravus say. At the sight of the princess, the chancellor bowed low. "Ah, Princess Lunafreya! A pleasant surprise! And what ever brings you here, my dear?"

Luna pointed the maroon-haired man with a scathing glare. "You know full well what I'm here for, _chancellor_." She tried not to grimace as the man merely chuckled at her attitude before switching her attention to her older brother. "Where's mother? I wish to talk with her."

Ravus sat up a little straighter in his chair. "Mother isn't here right now, I'm afraid. She went to visit the nation of Midgar, to meet with King Sephiroth. She said she would be back in the morning."

Luna clenched her hands at her sides into fists, stepping even closer to the throne until she was just at the bottom of the stairs. Gentiana stayed behind, her hands clasped over her front with worry as she listened to the argument in front of her, clinging to every word. "How convenient that mother is gone, wouldn't you say? Especially after this little stunt you pulled."

Ravus' colorfully mixed eyes sparkled with deviousness and he smirked down at her. "What little stunt do you refer to, Luna?"

She clicked her tongue. "You know what I'm talking about... Noctis and Prompto."

Ardyn's deep chuckle resonated throughout the throne room, making Lunafreya's ears itch. "Why, _my dear,_ that was all _my_ doing. You see, I caught our little prince being oh so… _unfaithful_ … to you!" The chancellor faked a quiet gasp, his hands coming to cover his mouth almost comically. "What _nerve_ the boy had, to treat your feelings like they were _nothing_! I very well couldn't allow him to _get away_ with that, now _could_ I?"

Luna looked to the ground, teeth clenched and grinding, trying to stay composed. She wouldn't let that man rip the band-aid off that fresh wound. No. She wouldn't give him the pleasure of seeing her hurt. She knew deep in her heart that none of it was true. She knew Noctis would never do anything to upset her. They had been friends for far too long. And after all was said and done, she had given them permission, told him it would all be okay. "You know nothing about Noctis." Was all she could find to say, not wanting to meet that sickly sweet golden gaze.

"Prince Noctis has proven, on more accounts than one, that he is not fit to be your mate. Nor is he even fit to rule his nation, as far as _I'm_ concerned... He has embarrassed the Nox Floret lineage with his disgraceful man-whoring, and I have all the reason I need to sever what remaining peace there may be between our homes. He isn't worthy of _anything_ , least of all my sister." Ravus sneered as he spoke, his detest for the Caelums almost palpable on the air.

Luna raised her head. "I that what you call it? Man-whoring?" The words felt terrible and bitter on her tongue, and she swallowed heavily after they fell from her lips.

" _Treason_ is what we call it, _dear_ Lady..." Ardyn chuckled, shaking his head at her incredulously. "The boy has all but _spat_ in our _faces_."

Luna looked hard at the chancellor, leveling his gaze with a heated one of her own, hands crossing over her chest. "I'm not going to allow you to do this. When mother comes, I'm going to tell her the _truth_. You will pay heavily for your sins, Ardyn Izunia. You as well, Ravus." She saw a hint of disappointment cross her brother's features, only for a moment, before he was rising from his seat on the throne, glowering down at her. Good. She _wanted_ him to feel bad for his actions.

"You will do no such thing, Lunafreya. What I do, I do for the good of Altissia. And I will not let you stand in my way. Guards!"

Luna barely had time to register what was happening before armored hands were clutching painfully at her arms, holding her and restraining her tightly as she struggled against the grasps.

"Lunafreya!" Gentiana called and stepped forward, hearing the commotion and clanging of armor off in the distance. She didn't get far before she was restrained as well, jumping slightly at the realization. All the echoed voices and noises in the room had left her unable to detect where the guards would be coming from.

Ravus smirked triumphantly as he watched his sister struggled between the four guards that had her pinned. "Lunafreya, I apologize. I can see that you are distraught. Perhaps it would be better if you were to go to your room and calm down for a while? At least until Mother and I have decided what to do about this terrible situation." His voice was kind, almost caring as he talked to her. The words clashed with the look he was giving her and the way he had commanded the guards to handle her so roughly. He was speaking as if she were the mad one, deranged with heartbreak and hysterical. Anyone who were to look at the situation probably would have thought so as well, but no one knew the truth. No one but her.

The guards by her sides pulled and pushed her, leading her roughly out of the throne room. She turned her head as her body was ushered out against her will, calling out to the who alphas at the top of the stairs. "You're going to regret this, Ravus! I swear to it!"

Ravus merely laughed as he watched Lunafreya and Gentiana get forcibly removed from his sight, back up towards her room, where she would inevitably be locked until further notice. He looked at Ardyn and smiled. "She'll thank me one of these days."

Ardyn bowed towards his prince, taking off his fedora and grinning back at the silver-haired man. "Oh, _naturally_ , I'm _sure_ of it…"

…

Prompto's heart pounded in his chest as the large, immaculate, marble structure of the Altissian Castle fell closer into his view, the car stopping right in front of it. The place looked absolutely stunning, possibly even _more_ stunning than the citadel. But he couldn't bring himself to awe at the place too much, because the reason why they were all there was at the forefront of his mind, clawing at his skull in a dull headache, making him nervous and squeezing the prince's hand in his own. He worried his lower lip as the door to the limo was opened by its' driver, beckoning them to safely exit and to have a good day. Everyone filed out, one by one, Noctis being the second to leave and him the last, having to be tugged slightly in order to kick his limbs into high gear and get them to move.

Noctis turned to look at him, worry showing in his blue eyes. "…You alright, Prom…?"

Prompto blinked rapidly, trying to collect himself. He couldn't shake the growing fear that was overcoming him, gnawing at the inside of his chest. What if this whole thing was a bad idea? What if they were just going to make things worse by barging in without an invitation? Even more horrifying was the prospect of coming face to face with his attacker.

The prince's voice met his ears once more, this time more persistent. "Prom? You okay?"

"Would you prefer we leave you in the car?" Ignis offered softly, sensing the dread much like the others were.

Prompto shook his head and reluctantly got out of the car, not realizing probably a whole half a minute had already passes since the others had exited. "No… No, I'm fine… Just a little nervous." And _Astrals_ , Noctis didn't even know _half_ of why he was so nervous. But he didn't want to have that conversation with the prince. He had to be strong. He was a retainer, damn it! He was supposed to be there for Noctis, through thick and thin. And that's exactly what he was going to do. Whether or not he felt like running far away and hiding until everyone forgot his name.

Noctis didn't look entirely convinced, but he nodded, a small smile gracing his lips. "It's okay. I'm nervous too... But you're worth it, Prom... You're worth this and _so_ much more… And I'm going to make sure we can be together without any worries…"

Prompto looked in those bright eyes and nodded, holding back a small sob. Gods, his prince was so perfect. He hardly deserved him. "

"We gonna stand here and make goo-goo eyes at one another, or are we gonna walk in there and tell them what's what?" Gladiolus asked gruffly, hands on his hips and head cocked towards the entrance to the castle.

Nyx smirked and tried to hide a chuckle under his breath. "Not that this isn't absolutely _heartwarming_ , but I agree with Big Guy here... Our nation's on the line and we're burning daylight."

Noctis cleared his throat and turned to walk towards the castle, releasing the omega's hand in the process. After all, he would hardly be taken seriously if he looked like he was too afraid to go in without clinging onto someone. He was royalty, and an _alpha_ , after all. "Right. Well then, let's go, shall we?"

Without further hesitation, the group set off up, climbing the large staircase up to the guarded doors of Altissia's castle. Of course, they were stopped at the entrance, royal guards demanding to know who they were and what their intentions were. After briefly explaining the situation, they were let in with surprising ease. The guards led them through the castle, towards the throne room, and bid them farewell before marching back to their former positions.

Noctis closed his eyes and took a deep breath, steeling himself and putting on his most princely demeanor and tone. When he was ready, he pressed open the double doors, strutting into the room with confidence that was easily matched by Gladiolus, Ignis, and Nyx. Prompto moved along behind them, steps uneven and back tense as his eyes roamed over the large expanse of space around them.

"Queen Sylva. I came to talk to you." Noctis called out loudly as he approached the throne, retainers and kingsglaive in tow, but was noticeably taken aback as it wasn't the woman he expected to see sitting there, but her son and Lunafreya's brother, Ravus. Furrowing his brows, he called out, "Where's Queen Sylva?"

Prompto wasn't paying attention to where he was walking, and he ran straight into Gladiolus' back when the others stopped in front of him, causing his nose to throb dully from the rough contact, hands played along the rippling back muscles of the shield as he pushed off. The larger man didn't so much as budge, amber eyes focused sharply in front up him, looking up towards the throne. A quick glance at the other retainer and Nyx showed the other men in much the same state, all attention focused otherwise. He moved to walk around them, to get a better look, but Ignis' hand reached out behind him, arm extended subtly, blocking his path. The advisor's eyes flashed toward him, his mouth in a hard line, before refocusing on the scene in front of him.

The omega stayed in place, getting the hint, but stood on his tip-toes, trying to chance a better look at what everyone was focused on. He could barely make out the forms of two men by the golden throne, and Prompto grunted, struggling to see over his friend's shoulders. The queen wasn't there, that much he could gather. But who were those two men?

Ravus sat up straighter in his chair upon Noctis' arrival, giving the boy his full attention. "Ah, _Noctis_. I knew you'd be here sooner or later…" The alpha called, smugness dripping heavily in that voice, his eyes conveying much the same, practically glittering as they met the dark blue, stormy eyes of the Insomnian prince so far beneath him. "…Unfortunately, My mother isn't here. She's away on business. Any qualms you have, you make take it up with me."

Ardyn stepped around from his place half-hidden by the large chair, gesturing towards Ravus with an overly-dramatic flourish of his hands. "Prince Ravus is acting in Queen Sylva's stead while she is gone. He is trained in how to handle _any number_ of concerns, I _assure_ you…"

Noctis struggled to keep his demeanor clam, showing no sign of weakness as he addressed the two. "If it's all the same to you, I was talking to _Ravus_ , not _you_ , chancellor…" His voice held a particular bite to it. One that only had the fellow alpha grinning down at the group.

Prompto's blood ran cold as those golden eyes roamed the crowd before landing on him, staying there, steadily, unwavering. ' _Ardyn Izunia_ ', Prompto thought to himself as their eyes stayed lock on one another. He felt cold, a shiver running down his spine as the maroon-haired man eyed him through the others, as if there was no one between them at all. Prompto felt his legs begin to shake as the man licked his lips, grinning predatorily down at him.

He couldn't take his intense stare anymore. He ripped his eyes away to instead stare at his feet, struggling to keep his breathing under control. That was _him_. He finally had a face to the name, a body to go along with the ghost sensations of hands on his body. He clutched himself and rubbed his hands up and down his arms, trying to drown out those unwanted sensations. That honeyed voice burned in his ears, drawing all kinds of unwanted memories buried deep. He could practically feel the man's breath on his skin, could practically taste the flavor of wine on his tongue, and it made him cringe.

Ardyn didn't seem bothered by Noctis' smart remark, and Ravus seemed even less so. "What brings you here, Prince Noctis? It's rather brave of you to show your face here, especially considering you also brought along your little… _side piece_."

Noctis visibly bristled at the rude form in which they were addressing his mate, but he rolled his shoulders, standing taller as he dismissed the silver-haired man's snarky remarks. He wouldn't deal with this lesser prince. He'd speak to no one but the queen herself, no matter how long it took for her to return. "When will Queen Sylva return?"

"Tomorrow morning, if all goes according to her plans."

Noctis huffed out a frustrated breath. "Fine. We will be back tomorrow, then." The prince and his entourage made to turn around and walk out of the throne room, but stopped when they became surrounded by guards, guns in hand, laser sights focused on their heads.

Gladiolus growled, turning to face the prince and the chancellor, nose flaring as he breathed. "What's the meaning of this, Ravus?!"

Ignis called his daggers to his hands, getting into a battle-ready stance. "How dare you point your weapons at the future King of Insomnia!"

Prompto and Nyx called their own weapons to their hands, the four men surrounding Noctis protectively from the line of fire.

Ardyn 'tsked' the boys, waving a finger back and forth in their direction, like he was merely scolding a child. " _Oh my_ , Ravus… They expected to just _walk_ right out of here, as if they haven't committed a _crime_ …"

Noctis growled. "And just what crime would that be, huh?! Tell me!"

Ravus smirked down at them. "Why, _treason_ , of course, dear Noctis."

The Insomnian prince balled his firsts at his sides, barely resisting the urge to warp out of the circle and plant his sword into the man's chest. "Like hell!", he spat, glaring at the fellow prince.

"Now, now, Noctis. This is a matter _most_ serious... I'm afraid I cannot allow you to leave this castle. You are now my prisoners, for the time being, I'm afraid. And you will _remain_ here until the queen gets back. At that time, you can have a proper trial to determine your fate, as well as the fate of your beloved Insomnia..."

"Where's Lunafreya?! She can tell you the truth, I've committed no treason!"

Ravus faked a solemn expression, moving to sit back in his chair, hands clasping on his lap. "My poor sister doesn't wish to see you… She' locked herself in her room, I'm afraid… She's been crying nonstop ever since she heard the news… How cruel you are to her, Noctis…"

Prompto looked at Noctis, eyes wide and brows furrowed. Wait. Didn't Noctis say Lunafreya gave them her blessing? Had that been a lie? He shook his head. No. It couldn't be a lie. Noctis would never lie to him.

He wouldn't… would he?

" _That's a lie_!" Noctis practically screamed it, meeting his chosen mate's eyes for a brief moment. He saw the doubt in those sky-blues and it was ripping at his heart. It _wasn't_ a lie. It _wasn't_! Noctis wasn't using her blessing as an excuse to have his way with Prompto. He'd _never_ , in his entire _life_ , do that. Prompto _had_ to realize that!

He realized it… didn't he?

"Prom- Don't listen to him. He's just trying to mess with our heads! He- "

"Enough of this pointless bickering..." Ravus interrupted the other prince, rolling his multi-colored eyes and waving them off with a roll of his wrist. "The point is, Lunafreya doesn't want to see you… Ardyn, _do_ show our guests to where they will be staying for the night. I have much more important matters to attend to than entertaining Noctis' _delusions_ …"

"They aren't _delusions_! It's the _truth_!" Noctis barked out as Ravus exited the room.

The guards around them pushed and prodded them, keeping the circle firmly and not budging, other than walking uniformly, jostling the men towards the exit and through many other rooms and hallways, Ardyn leading the way.

Nyx moved close to the prince, whispering in his ear, "Why don't we just beat the shit out of these guards? We can cut through them _easy_ , Noct."

Ignis huffed from the other side of Noctis, overhearing the suggestion. "That may be so, but we cannot give them more reason to be at war with us. Remember, it isn't just about Noctis. We have an entire nation to protect. We don't need a war right now. Regis is too weak and Noctis is hardly ready to lead an army just yet."

Gladiolus scoffed. "So, what, we just stay here overnight? Wait until Noctis has a trial with nothing to back him up? Luna was the only proof we had!"

Ignis sighed. "It's all we _can_ do, Gladiolus… We can't allow our hands to be bloodied here. Not without proper reason."

Nyx whistled. "Quite the predicament we've gotten ourselves in, boys…" He smirked playfully, even under the less-than-preferable circumstances.

Prompto stayed behind all of them, shuffling carefully so as not to step on anyone's feet or to have the tip of a machine gun press into his back. His mind was racing, heart pounding. It _couldn't_ be true, could it? Noctis wouldn't hurt Luna like that, especially after already expressing his own desire not to hurt her feelings any more than the already had, right? He didn't want to doubt his lover, he really didn't, but the argument was becoming more and more believable. After all, Noctis was kind of selfish by nature…

No. No. He needed to stop thinking like that. He needed to _trust_ Noctis. He had already sworn his _life_ to him. That was for a _reason_ , damn it!

"Ah, here we are!" Ardyn's sickly nice, enthusiastic voice sang out as the approached a long hallway, door aligning either side of it. There were five rooms, one for each of them. The chancellor dramatically pulled a large ring of keys from off of the wall and pushed one of them inside of a keyhole, turning it and then swinging open the heavy iron door proudly. "Home sweet home."

The guards shoved Noctis into the first room, Nyx in the second, Ignis in the third, Gladiolus in the fourth, and finally Prompto in the one at the very end of the hall, locking the door behind each of them. As Prompto stepped into his designated 'cell', he glanced over his shoulder, eyes meeting Ardyn's. The man grinned wolfishly at him and waved his goodbyes as the door shut behind him.

"As for _you_ , dear Prompto, I'll be seeing you _real_ soon… We have _so_ much to catch up on…"

Prompto stepped back, putting as much distance between himself and the alpha as he could before the door finally slammed, leaving him cold and alone.

…

Noctis paced around the room, hands pulling at his hair as he did so.

Really, the room wasn't that bad. It looked like a guest bedroom. A very nice guest bedroom. Nothing like a proper jail cell at all, actually. All carpet and soft lighting from a single lamp by a comfortable-looking bed. The walls only had one small, barred window, which overlooked the ocean. A small door led to a tiny bathroom. No shower, but there was a toilet and a sink with a mirror. If he hadn't been blatantly told he was a prisoner, he probably wouldn't have thought himself one. The only unfortunate part of the enclosure seemed to be that it was ungodly cold. Noctis could see his breath as a mist in front of him with every exhale. Still, he felt uncomfortable in the space. Restless. Angry. Anxious. So many thoughts were running though his head, so many questions. He wondered if the rooms his friends were in was the same. He wondered if they would be able to hear him is he called for them. Or if they would knock back if he knocked on their wall.

Before he could test his theories, his phone buzzed in his pocket, Ignis' notification alert sounding out. With cold fingers, he turned on his phone screen and read the text message.

 **Ignis: How are you holding up, Noct?**

The phone in his hands buzzed, another text bubble appearing beneath the last. This time, it was from Gladiolus.

 **Gladiolus: Anyone else think these rooms are way too nice for prisoners?**

Noctis sat on the edge of the bed and typed up a response.

 **Noctis: Yeah, I'm okay. Pissed off, but otherwise fine. Yeah, these rooms are nice. I wonder why.**

His phone vibrated again and the prince's eyes rose slightly as he realized Nyx had joined the conversation, surprisingly. He didn't even know how the man had gotten his number. They weren't that close.

 **Nyx: Probably because until you go through an actual legal trial, we are only prisoners by title. They can't actually keep us in a dungeon without a sentence from the Queen. Consider this… Prison with benefits?**

Noctis snorted as he read the response. Was Prompto also in the group message?

 **Noctis: Prom, you okay?**

The response didn't come quickly. It was actually a food couple of minutes before his phone was going off with a response.

 **Prompto: Sorry, I didn't notice my phone was gong off. Yeah, I'm cool.**

 **Prompto: No, seriously, guys. I'm cold.**

 **Prompto: It's sooo cold in here!**

 **Ignis: I'm in much the same situation.**

 **Gladiolus: Ditto**

 **Nyx: Same:**

 **Noctis: Yeah, I can barely feel my fingers…**

 **Nyx: So, what's the plan?**

 **Prompto: Preferably to find a way out of here asap, please!**

 **Gladiolus: Something is up with these rooms. I can't get my greatsword to appear…**

 **Ignis: I cannot call my daggers either…**

Noctis tried to call his sword to his hand, to test it for himself, and surely enough, nothing came. Just a small glimmer of magic that dissolved just as quickly as it came.

 **Noctis: They must have planted some kind of weird technology in here to block out our connection with the crystal… Damn it. Those assholes.**

 **Prompto: How are we gonna get out of here if we can't bust our way out?!**

 **Nyx: Does no one carry around actual, physical weapons on them anymore? Geez…**

 **Nyx: It's a good thing I'm not too keen on magic. I have a spare blade in the waistband of my pants.**

 **Prompto: That's my man, Nyx! Saving the day!**

 **Ignis: Good on you, Nyx.**

 **Gladiolus: Seriously, man. I could kiss you right now.**

 **Noctis: what's one dagger gonna do?**

 **:Nyx: If I try hard enough, I can probably get the bars off of this window with it, but I don't know what the plan would be from there…**

 **Noctis: The next plan of action should be to find Luna. I j=have a feeling she's in much the same state we are… She must be locked up somewhere.**

 **Ignis: Wonderful, Noctis. It's exactly what I was thinking. We need to find the princess and free her. Then she could be talked into speaking on your behalf.**

 **Gladiolus: Gotta go all Assassin's Creed on this castle. Scale the building until you find her.**

 **Prompto: Be like her knight in shining armor!**

 **Nyx: Scaling a building and sweeping a hidden princess off her feet? No problem. I was born for this.**

 **Noctis: How long do you thin it'll take for you to saw through those bars?**

 **Nyx: Realistically? At least a good couple of hours… It'll probably be well into the night before I saw through enough to kick them off the window and climb out. You're gonna have to be patient.**

 **Prompto: I don't have patience, dude! Hurry it up and start sawing! I'm dying of boredom in here!**

 **Nyx: I'm on it. Nyx over and out! Catch you losers on the other side!**

The group text ended there, and Noctis left his phone on the bed, continuing his pacing. He could hear Nyx sawing against the iron of the bars all the way from his room, so he knew the man was working diligently, as fast as he could. As he walked circles around the cold room, the bright midday sun was moving lower, until before he knew it, the light of the sunset was filtering through the window, over his face.

' _Come on, Nyx… Go faster!_ ', he couldn't help but think to himself. He was tired, but he didn't want to it down. He was feeling far too restless. With a sigh, he picked his phone back up, composing a new message. This time, it was specifically to Prompto.

…

Prompto didn't give himself the luxury of sitting on the bed. Ever since that door had closed behind him, his eyes barely left it. Instead, he sat on the floor, beneath the window and directly across from the blocked exit to the plush prison he was kept in.

It was cold. His fingers were so numb, he could hardly feel them anymore. The rest of his skin felt like ice and his teeth were chattering almost uncontrollably. Why was it so _cold_? He didn't even think getting under the blankets of that bed would warm him. He watched the light from the barred window filter in, travelling along with the sun's position. It was almost nightfall. He could tell just be that alone. He'd been sitting there for hours, not moving an inch.

Ardyn said he was coming back. He said they needed to catch up.

Prompto shivered more and clutched his knees tighter to his chest, trying not to think about the man. With any luck, Nyx would grab Luna and they would be freed before the chancellor came back and made good on his promise.

He jumped at the little ' _Kweh!_ ' his phone gave off in his pocket before calming himself and reaching for it, digging it out.

 **Noctis: Hey, Prom… How you holding up?**

Prompto tried to type, but honestly typing had become increasingly hard since their group messaging hours prior. His fingers seemed to move in slow motion, tapping away frustratingly slow. He couldn't even feel the buttons beneath his fingers.

 **Prompto: Fucking freezing. I think my fingers are gonna fall off if I don't get out of here soon…**

 **Noctis: I'm sorry, Prom… Nyx is trying his best. He's almost got the bars off enough to slip through. Just hold up a little longer.**

Prompto sighed, letting his head fall back and thump against the wall behind him. ' _Easier said than done, Noct_ …'

 **Noctis: I love you.**

Prompto stared at those three words for what seemed like an hour. Of course he loved Noctis. He loved him with all his heart. Which is why it would hurt him more than anything if he found out the prince had been lying to him this whole time. If he had been fucking him behind Lunafreya's back, actually _willingly_ committing treason on Altissia just to get his dick wet…? He didn't know what he'd do. He didn't know what he'd _feel_.

 **Noctis: …Prom? …Prom, you there?**

Prompto drew in a long, shaky breath before typing his reply.

 **Prompto: Lunafreya really gave you her blessing… right, Noct?**

When he didn't get a reply very quickly, he felt his heartbeat increase, pain and hurt already making his chest feel tight. Why wasn't he replying? Wasn't that the answer, in and of itself?

 **Noctis: Of course I did, Prom!**

 **Noctis: Ravus was lying! This is clearly all part of his plan!**

 **Noctis: I'd never lie to you, Prom. I told you that!**

 **Noctis: ….Prom….?**

Prompto shook and he felt tears prickle the edges of his eyes as he read the rushed and frantic responses, one after the next, in rapid succession. He wanted to believe Noctis. He really, really wanted to believe him…

 **Prompto: Yeah… I'm here… I love you too, Noct.**

 **Noctis: Hey, Nyx just got the window open! He's gonna go find Luna, then we can get out of here.**

 **Noctis: Can't wait to hold you in my arms again, Prom.**

 **Noctis: Shouldn't be long now.**

Prompto smiled softly to himself and was about to type up a response but froze as the familiar jingle of keys could be heard on the other side of his door.

"No… No no no… Not now…!" Prompto whispered frantically, clutching the plastic in his hands and trying his best to scramble even further against the cold wall behind him. The lock turned, and the heavy door swung open, his eyes assaulted with the overly-dressed, overly-smug form of Ardyn Izunia. "No."

Ardyn grinned and closed the door behind him, locking them together. "Hello, _pet_."


	30. Chapter 29

Ardyn grinned and closed the door behind him, locking them in together. "Hello, _pet_."

Prompto's eyes were as big as saucers, his hands trembling around the phone in his hand. That _pet_ name. That _literal_ pet name. He'd heard it before, he was _sure_ of it. Somewhere deep in the back of his mind, it resonated in him. It made him feel like he was going to throw up, and he clapped a hand over his mouth, willing the bile not to rise past his throat as he stared up at the imposing man coming closer. After that name hit his ears the strong, purely unique alpha scent of the man flooded his lungs. Plum and mint filled his body, down to his very _soul_ , and he all at once felt dizzy, like he was being suffocated, like he was drowning. It was harder to breathe, but he struggled through every inhale, trying to focus on the man without passing out.

Ardyn smiled at him and stepped even closer, grinning wider as he watched the omega scramble further back into the wall behind him, like a cornered rat about to be eaten by a hungry cat. The chancellor's eyes flitted down to the item in Prompto's hand and a playful shock washed over his features. " _Oh, my_! Whatever do we have _here_?" He was right in front of the blonde now, and he bent down, taking the piece of plastic from the boy's hands with one strong snatch. Prompto reached out for his phone in a weak attempt to get it back, but the alpha moved faster than him, having the upper hand in that department due to not being so cold and slow with his reflexes. Ardyn turned the item over in his hand, looking at it amusingly. "Ah, a _phone_. And a rather _nice_ one, at that!" Ardyn looked at the screen, reading the boy's message between his lover, and he frowned. "Oh, you _love_ him, do you? How _sweet_ …"

Prompto's hand fell from his mouth and he looked up at the chancellor, trying his best to look confident and challenging, but he was terrified, shaking not just from the cold at this point. The man's smell was so strong and potent, and he could faintly remember smelling it before. He could remember being enveloped by it just as he was now, and he grit his teeth in disappointment as his cock jumped in excitement against his wishes at the memory as well. "That's _mine_. Give it back!" He hissed between clenched teeth.

Ardyn shook his head, 'tsking' Prompto and sliding the phone into his pocket, looking down at the young boy as if he was the most pitiable thing on the planet. "But it _isn't_ , dear boy. _Noctis_ bought that phone, not _you_. Therefore, it is _his_. And so, you see, I _must_ take it as _evidence_."

"Evidence for what?!" The blonde spat.

Ardyn bent down, getting on Prompto's level, balancing himself on the balls of his feet in front of the boy as he gazed into those giant, watery blue eyes, filled with so much fear. The omega was utterly, undeniably gorgeous like that. He ignored Prompto's question entirely, reaching a hand out to brush along a delicate, freckled cheek, thumb padding over his chin, dangerously close to those pouty lips, slightly chapped from the cold of the room. "You have _no idea_ how _elated_ I am to have you come back to me, dear Prompto…"

Prompto scowled and thrashed his head out of the man's grip. "Don't touch me! I didn't come here for _you_!"

Ardyn frowned. "…A _pity_ , that…" That same hand that had held his face so gently before backhanded him roughly against his cheek, sending his head to slam against the wall behind him, making his vision blur and begin to spot. Prompto cradled his head, crying out in pain. He felt a wetness rolling down his temple, where his face made contact with the wall, mingling with his trembling fingers, and he knew he was bleeding. The coppery tang of blood filled his mouth and on the opposite side of his head injury he could feel his split lip throbbing. "Things would have gone so much _smoother_ for you, if you had…"

Prompto flinched as his jaw was grasped by the alpha, his face made to face Ardyn once more. His head was throbbing, and his lip was throbbing, and his vision was swimming, so he barely had time to register the chancellor's face growing closer to his own, until the man's lips brushed the corner of his, tongue darting out to lap at the blood trickling down from his fresh cut. He jerked and cried out from the disgusting sensation, trying his best to push the other away, but Ardyn stayed firm and unmoving, a physical block between him and the wall.

Ardyn leaned back and stared down into Prompto's eyes as he licked his own lips fondly, collecting the bloody remnants and savoring the coppery taste of him. That slimy smile returned, and his eyes narrowed slightly, as he inquired, "Tell me, _pet_ … Did Noctis bust you open yet?"

Prompto tried to reel back, and this time there was no resistance from Ardyn, the man letting him go quite easily. The omega balked at the man in disbelief, moving on shaky legs to stand and back away from him, hand gripping the wall to steady himself as he did so. His brows furrowed, and his mouth fell open slightly in shock at those words. " _W-What the fu_ \- "

"Did he _take_ you? _Violate_ you? Fill you up with his _poison_?" Ardyn grinned and rose from the ground slowly, until he was towering above the blonde once more, taking a small step forward. "Did it feel _good_? Did you beg for _more_?" He was getting closer and closer to Prompto with every step he took, and Prompto looked utterly delectable, trembling, on the verge of tears, breath so ragged he was on the verge of hyperventilating. It only made Ardyn's dick harden in his pants further. " _Tell me_ , love… Did he _bond_ with you yet?"

There was nowhere else for Prompto to go as his back collided with the wall. "You're fucking sick!" He whispered between swollen lips and chattering teeth, fear and adrenaline coursing through his veins as he watched the man step closer, towering over him, leaving no room to escape.

"I'm taking that as a _no_ …?" Ardyn's eyes slowly raked over the omega's trembling form, as if he was trying to undress the boy with his eyes, and the action made Prompto dig his nails into the wall behind him, revulsion and hatred churning uncomfortably in his gut. "… _Although_ , I suppose there's only _one_ surefire way to tell, for certain…" Prompto caught his gaze and swallowed heavily at the sadistic glint in those golden eyes. "…Strip. Let me see for myself if you have a bond mark."

Prompto balked at him, unable to find words for a moment as his head and heart raced, tripping over those words. " _W-what-?_ " He winced as another rough slap was administered, lightening fast and unavoidable, this time to his other cheek, and the blow had him stumbling sideways, catching himself on the bed and gasping for air.

"I rather _dislike_ repeating myself, Prompto. I suggest you _rid_ yourself of those clothes before I find more _creative_ ways to get it done _for_ you…"

Prompto spat a mixture of blood and saliva onto the blankets beneath him and he winced, feeling like the world was spinning around him. With a newfound anger, he glared over his shoulder at the man and his smug, almost bored expression. He couldn't stand that man, and every fiber of his being, every cell in his body, was screaming with hatred for him. If only his gun would work, he'd have blasted that uppity expression from that disgusting face forever ago. "Why do you even _care_ what Noctis has done to me?! How does any of it matter now?!"

Ardyn made a show of sauntering around the bed to stand next to the boy, meeting his eyes with a fond smile. "Isn't it _obvious_? If _Noctis_ hasn't claimed you yet, then _I_ can." Prompto tensed, gripping the blankets beneath him tightly, his blood running cold and his heart in his gut. "I can be a little _rough_ around the edges, Prompto, but I'm _quite_ the attentive lover, I _assure_ you… We'll get along just splendidly."

"No." Even Prompto himself was surprised by his response, and he closed his eyes in fear, only for a moment, expecting another blow, but nothing came.

The chancellor's eyes squinted, his stance becoming decidedly less aloof. "…I'm sorry, pet. I _do_ believe I'm _hearing_ things… _What_ did you say…?"

Prompto turned around to face him fully, eyes in an icy glare. He willed away the trembling in his limbs, focusing all energy on throwing every ounce of venom into his words that he could muster. "I _said_ … No! You're not going to lay a _gods-damned_ finger on me, you asshole! Only Noctis is allowed to touch me. I won't stand being _manhandled_ by the likes of _you_!" This man may have had the upper hand on him back in the day, back when he had less clarity and his body responded to the lightest touch, but not now. Even without the safety and comfort of a weapon, Prompto wasn't about to let this man do as he pleased. He'd gladly be beaten and battered if it meant not having to bond with Ardyn.

That sickly sweet smiled faltered on the alpha's face, only for a moment, before the man cocked his head to the side and laughed. " _Oh_ , _sweet_ , _dear, insolent Prompto_ … Who said you'd be _standing_?" He watched as the blonde's face try to stay fierce, but he didn't miss the look of confusion and fear that flitted over his freckled features for only a moment. "I think I'd much prefer you on your _knees_ …" Ardyn chuckled, low in his chest, the sound bouncing off the walls of their small enclosed space. " **Now… Strip.** "

…

Nyx climbed the wall of the castle carefully, trying with everything he had not to lose his grip and fall, down to the rocky depths of the ocean beneath him. With deep, calming breaths, he climbed higher and higher, carefully peering into windows as he did so, hoping for a glimpse of the hidden princess he was looking for.

"Now, if I were a princess, where would I be…?" He mused humorously to himself, wiping the sweat from his brow. All at once, he heard the soft melody of a piano, coming from a window only a few more feet higher than where he was. "Bingo."

…

Lunafreya let her fingers strum over the taught chords of her harp, trying to allow the gentle music to sooth her racing mind, but she had been at it for hours now and it wasn't working. With a frustrated huff, she let her hands flop down to her lap.

"What am I doing? I need to be looking for a way out of here, not sitting here, twiddling my thumbs!"

Gentiana put a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "I know how you feel, My Lady… Truly, I do… But with no weapons and all those guards just outside of the door, what are we supposed to do?"

Lunafreya stood up, pacing towards her window until she was right in front of it, looking out at the sun disappearing over the ocean in the distance. "I hate being so useless, Gentiana. I can fight this, I know I can."

"Mind if I fight alongside you, princess?" Nyx appeared in the window suddenly, startling the women. He laughed as Lunafreya looked at him in shock before collecting herself, a hand over her racing heart. "Nyx Ulric, at your service!" He bowed low and straightened back up with a playful smirk. "Sorry if I scared you, but time is of the essence."

Luna's expression all at once shifted from startled to delighted, looking upon the man fondly. "Why, _this_ is certainly a surprise."

Nyx brought the back of her hand to his lips in a chaste kiss. "A pleasant surprise, I hope?"

Luna blushed and gently pulled her hand back, smiling. " _Very_ pleasant."

"Good." Nyx smiled warmly back at her before clapping and rubbing his hands together. "Now. Who's ass do I gotta kick to get you outta here?"

The door is locked, but just beyond it is a mass of guards. Getting through them will prove to be difficult with no weapons." Gentiana offered from a few feet away.

Nyx grinned and winked at them. "Who said we have no weapons?" To prove his point, he summoned one of his trusty blades into his hand, happy to finally be reconnected with the crystal's magic.

"That's all well and good, but one blade isn't going to be enough to get us all the way to our destination. It would be much easier if I had my trident." Luna offered.

"Oh, yeah? And where would that be?"

"Just a few rooms down, in the royal armory."

"Perfect." Nyx grinned as he approached the doors leading out of her bedroom. "Show me the way." And with that, he kicked the doors open, breaking the lock and startling the guards on the other side before lunging at them in a shimmer of blue.

…

" **Now… Strip.** "

The words echoed in Prompto's ears. He struggled to stay standing as all it once the very gravity of the room seemed to shift. It felt like the very air itself was heavy, trying to push him down. Prompto's limbs felt numb, like he had slept on them wrong and lost all circulation, so it was all the more shocking as he watched his arms moving, slowly, coming up to his unbuttoned vest and shucking it off effortlessly. He couldn't even feel the cold of the room anymore. He could hardly feel _anything_ anymore, not physically, but his mind stayed woefully in tact as he watched himself move on autopilot.

"W-What the fuck it is happening?!" Prompto rasped out between uneven breaths, watching his body move against his will. It was as if he wasn't even in his own body anymore, but watching his life through eyes of a spectator. It was frightening, how detached he felt inside of himself.

Ardyn chuckled. "Now _this_ is quite a lovely change of pace… I like you _much_ better like this, pet. Although, I must admit, it _pains my heart_ to have to _influence_ you to listen to me… Perhaps, in time, you'll be more _willing_."

Prompto watched himself pull his tank top over his head and toss it to the floor, exposing his bare chest and nipples, perky from the cold. Ardyn stepped closer, reaching a hand out to brush over one of them and Prompto bit his lip, stifling an unwanted moan. He couldn't even feel the man's hands on him, but somehow, he still felt the heat pool in him at the action, and it frightened him. " _Stop!_ ", he choked out through the growing lump in his throat and the burning in his eyes. " _Please… Just stop_!"

Ardyn clicked his tongue and brought his hand to the blonde's shoulder, nails biting into the skin there sharply, drawing out a little yelp of pain. "I'm growing weary of your _insolence_ , pet… Silence yourself and behave like a _good_ omega for his alpha."

Prompto looked to where those nails were drawing blood on his shoulder and he whimpered, watching a small drop of blood travel down his chest. He was numb to the touch, but he could feel every bit of the pain. Even still, his hands continued to move on their own accord, deftly undoing his belt and unzipping his pants with trembling fingers. "I'm not _your_ omega…" The very thought of being anything to Ardyn other than one thousand miles away from him made him feel sick.

"Not _yet_ you aren't... All in _good time_ , love…" Ardyn smirked as the omega kicked out of his pants and shoes, leaving him to stand with only his boxers as any form of coverage over his thin, freckled body. " **Turn around for me, love. Let me inspect you.** " Prompto screwed his eyes shut as his body turned around slowly, following that command, showing Ardyn all his unmarked skin, free from any sort of bonding mark as expected, and he choked back a sob when he heard that deep chuckle of approval from across the room. " _Wonderful…_! Just as I'd _hoped_ …! Unmarked and ripe for the taking…" Prompto flinched as he felt a gentle caress at the back of his neck, pulling him closer to the alpha, so close he could smell the man's cologne. His eyes shot open as he felt Ardyn's mouth suddenly cover his own, tongue forcing its way inside, stubble scratching his chin and cheeks as the man assaulted his mouth in a gentle, almost loving way that clashed with his true nature and intentions.

Prompto wanted to shove at the man's chest, wanted to push him away and run, but his body just continued to stand there, unmoving, not following his wishes. He could taste Ardyn all too clearly, could feel his slimy tongue caress and slide against his own, and he had half a mind to bite down on the intruding muscle, but just as he was gathering the courage to try, the alpha pulled away, leaving Prompto looking up at him, brows furrowed in frustration and face flushed in a mixture of anger and mortification.

" _Good omega_.", Ardyn cooed, running a hand through those blonde locks, gently massaging Prompto's scalp.

Prompto grit his teeth and looked away. The honied praises equally made his heart flutter and his chest tighten painfully. Something in him, some small, _omega_ part of him, _enjoyed_ being so obedient, so good and docile. But all too eagerly that unwanted sensation was engulfed by the larger, more real and true part of himself that _despised_ everything about it, wanting to stomp it down like a bug beneath his boot. He felt _ashamed_ for feeling so proud of himself. Deep inside, he knew he wasn't even being obedient _willingly_. It was all the unavoidable, inescapable influence of the maroon-haired man before him. If not for that sultry, toxic hypnotism, Prompto _knew_ he wouldn't even be entertaining the _thought_ of doing anything Ardyn commanded of him.

He didn't like this. He wanted Noctis. He wanted to be wrapped in that warm embrace, not standing here, cold, beaten, and being suffocated by mint and plum and cheap cologne.

Ardyn's hand gripped Prompto's hair, pulling tightly on the tresses, guiding the omega's head back to force the blonde to look at him once more. "Now, pet, be a dear and suck daddy's cock, would you?"

Prompto's eyes flew open wide as that same hand shoved him down to his knees, still tugging painfully at his roots. Ardyn's other hand fished his cock out of his pants, exposing himself to Prompto, hard and pulsing right before his face. Prompto was so close he could smell the musky arousal on the alpha and he cried out, trying to twist his head away from the protruding member.

" _Please, no! I don't want this! Stop it!_ " He begged and pleaded. His vision blurred around his closed eyes, the tears falling freely and leaving wet streaks down his freckled cheeks.

"Come now, Prompto, don't be a cock tease… **"** Ardyn sneered down at him and pulled that head closer, until the head of his cock was pressed against Prompto's tightly closed but trembling lips. " **Suck it.** "

…

Noctis heard quick, heavy steps approach his door and he quickly stood up from where he had previously been sitting on the bed. He walked over to the door, leaning his ear against it to better hear what was on the other side.

"Noctis?" A soft, female voice called out.

Luna! That was Luna!

Noctis smiled and called out to her. "Luna, it's me! I'm in here!"

He could hear her sigh of relief from the other side. "Oh, Noctis! I've found you! Thank the Astrals! Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine! Do you have the keys?"

There was a pause, and then, "I'm afraid not. But don't worry. I've got this. Stand back!"

The prince did as he was told, standing a good distance away from the door and off to the side, and not a moment too late. Lunafreya took a deep breath and gathered her energy, her trident glowing and resonating within her hands, and with all her strength, she reeled the weapon back and thrusted it towards the door, sending it flying off the hinges and into the wall on the opposite side of the room. Without a second thought, she walked into the room and embraced Noctis, pulling him into a tight hug, which the prince returned gladly.

"Damn, Luna! Didn't know you had it in you!" Noctis teased, pulling back to smile brightly at her.

Luna laughed and clutched the weapon to her chest. "Well, it isn't every day a girl gets to be the hero." She winked at him and they shared a laugh before Nyx popped his head in, whistling at the door that laid all but destroyed just a few feet away.

" _Damn_ , sweetheart. Remind me not to piss you off! Or, to _definitely_ piss you off. Haven't decided which I like more yet."

Luna rolled her eyes and grabbed Noctis' wrist. "Come, Noctis. Show me where the others are."

" _That's_ easy. They're straight down the hall. One door for each retainer." Nyx provided, jabbing a thumb in the aforementioned direction.

The princess nodded and they all exited the cell, one after the other. "I can't _believe_ my brother has done this… Locking _me_ up is one thing, but locking all of you up as well? Mother is going to hear about this when she gets back..." Luna looked absolutely livid as she readied herself for another powerful blow against the door that held Gladiolus in it.

Noctis frowned. "Would she believe you?"

"Are you kidding? I'm the _oracle_ , Noctis. I _never_ tell lies, and mother knows this."

"Fair enough."

The door busted down with no problem, and the shield bounded out, high-fiving the princess as a solid thank-you. Afterwards, they moved on to the room that contained Ignis, freeing him from his prison as well.

"Only Prompto to go, now." Nyx offered.

Noctis nodded. "I can get him myself. You guys just get somewhere safe. Luna, where should we go?"

Luna shook her head. "That, I cannot tell you. Ravus will be on the lookout for you, and all of Altissia knows who you are. I fear hiding will prove rather difficult for all of you…"

Nyx shrugged. "Well then, how about we stay here?"

Gladiolus scoffed at the kingsglaive. "Here? Right under the enemy's nose? We'll be sitting ducks!"

Ignis rubbed his chin, thinking. " _Actually_ Gladiolus, Ulric's idea is actually a rather _clever_ one. Ravus would be expecting us to escape and flee. He'd never think that we'd remain here. It would be just the thing to throw the man off."

" _Finally_ , my genius is realized." Nyx teased, flipping a dagger in his hand skillfully before allowing it to vanish.

Noctis shrugged. "Okay, so we stay here… But _where_?"

Luna pondered it for a bit. "Well… Gentiana could stay in my room with me for the night. Ravus had her locked in there with me originally, anyways. So her quarters would prove suitable. A few of you would have to sleep on couches, or in the floor, since there's only one bed… But it's spacious and in a quiet part of the castle, by the library, and I don't think you'd run into many people on your way there. It _should_ suffice, if only for just a night."

"Gentiana's room, it is! Mind showing us the way, princess?" Nyx offered her a small smile and the alpha smiled back, blushing and looking away from that gaze ever so slightly.

"I'd love to… Noctis, are you sure you and Prompto will be alright going alone?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine. We've fought together before. It'll be a piece of cake."

The oracle nodded and gave him one last tight hug before briefly explaining where he would need to go, and then they were departing, Gladiolus calling out a gruff "Just follow the bodies!" from behind him as they rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.

Without further hesitation, Noctis ran up to the Prompto's door, knocking on it loudly to warn the blonde of their intrusion. "Prom, you awake? Nyx got Luna. I'm going to bust down the door, okay? Stand back!"

Noctis called his sword to his hand and began to ready for the assault on the door but stopped in his tracks as he heard a gruff voice from the other side of the door. "No need for all _that_ now, Noctis… I left the door unlocked. Feel free to enter like a civilized person instead of a ravaging behemoth…"

Noctis' blood ran cold as he realized who's voice it was. There was no mistaking it to be Ardyn's. But why was he in there? Why Prompto's room, of all of them? He swallowed thickly and stepped forward, pushing the door open with an easy shove.

"…Prom?" Noctis called out tentatively as he stepped inside. He stopped in his tracks just as his eyes roamed the small room and landed on a sight that made his heart stop.

There, sitting on the edge of the small bed, was a slightly flushed and sweaty Ardyn, head lolled back in ecstasy as those bright golden eyes stared directly into his soul, a foul smirk playing on his lips. One hand was clenching the bed beside him, and the other was playing loosely with blonde tufts of hair as the almost naked form of Prompto was kneeled between the alpha's splayed legs, head bobbing feverishly between them. The omega was gripping and rubbing Ardyn's legs sensually. Noctis could hear the lewd slurping and sucking noises, and gentle mewls and hums from the blonde as he eagerly sucked on that cock in his mouth.

Ardyn's hand in Prompto's hair gripped tightly and Noctis watched, frozen in place with shock, as the alpha stared dead into the prince's eyes and moaned, the omega going tensing and stilling between his legs.

" **Swallow, pet.** "

Noctis fell to his knees. He felt like the breath had been knocked out of him. He felt like his heart had been torn out and stomped into the ground, right in front of him. His large eyes watched as Prompto did as he was told, swallowing down the cum in his mouth eagerly before Ardyn pulled him off and stuffed himself back into his pants.

"That's a good lad..." Ardyn grinned wolfishly at Noctis, sitting up on his knees, arms slack at his sides, mouth agape and eyes wide. The prince looked so wonderful when he was emotionally distraught. He patted the blonde on the top of the head. "Prompto, _look_! You have a _visitor_! What a pleasant surprise!"

It was almost like a switch had been flipped. All at once, _feeling_ flooded Prompto. So much so, It was almost overwhelming. He could feel the cold of the room on his skin, making him shiver anew, clutching his arms to his chest in order to find some form of warmth. His head throbbed. His jaw hurt. His throat ached. He could taste Ardyn on his tongue and in his mouth, bitter and disgusting. Without having the sense to stop himself, he immediately wretched, vomiting right there on the floor between the man's legs, until there was nothing more for his stomach to offer. Prompto breathed in deep, shaky, ragged breaths, saliva falling from his parted lips. His knees hurt, and they had a slight burn from the carpet beneath him. Without looking, he could feel the wetness that had his boxers clinging to his ass. He could feel the aching hardness between his legs, and it made him want to die. He didn't want to accept that sucking Ardyn off had made his body react in such a way. Nothing could be worse than this moment, he was sure.

"… _P-Prom…?!_ " The voice behind him sounded so horrified, so high-pitched, so quiet, so utterly _cracked_ and _broken_ , that it was almost hard to figure out who's voice it _actually was_ , but Prompto pieced it together soon enough. His eyes grew wide and he struggled to breathe when the chancellor's words came crashing back to him. The man had said he had a _visitor_ , and it was Noctis.

 _Noctis_ was in the room with them. He had _seen_ him. He had seen _everything_.

Prompto was torn between wanting to curl up in a ball and die, not wanting the other to see him like he was now, and wanting to run into his arms and cry into his shoulder. But the omega couldn't overcome the urge to see his chosen mate, and so he whipped around too look at the other alpha. "Noct, I- " Prompto tried to explain, but the words wouldn't come out when his eyes met the prince's. the boy looked so hurt, so heartbroken, and it made Prompto's heart break as well. Fresh tears streamed down his cheeks and he did his best to hide the uncomfortable tent in his underwear.

Ardyn laughed. " _Sorry_ , Noctis, but I wanted to finish what I started, at that little _party_ of yours. After all, I was on my way to claiming him for myself _far_ before _you_ got to him… Why, I was _practically_ his _first_."

The prince's brows furrowed, and he stared at Prompto. "Prompto, you… you've been with him _before_?!"

Prompto jerked his head towards Ardyn and then back toward Noctis. "Noct, I- I'm _sorry_! I didn't _remember_ , I- " The omega began crawling towards Noctis, needing to touch him, to comfort him, but Ardyn's large hand flew to his wrist, yanking the boy backwards and up into his lap. The blonde yelped and struggled against the man's grip, but went silent as a harsh, " **Hush.** ", was whispered against his frozen ear. The omega went lax, leaning into the body behind him, eyes going glossy and distant, as if he wasn't in his own body anymore. As if he wasn't there.

Noctis watched the scene in horror, and he clenched his hand tighter around the blade that was still in it. Noctis may not have been very skilled or practiced in it, but the prince recognized the alpha influence when he heard it. He had been too shocked and upset before to realize it on the chancellor's tongue while the omega was between his legs, but it was all too evident now, with the stark contrast between Prompto's frantic struggling moments ago and the serene Prompto that now sat before them.

 _Rage_ filled Noctis and he growled, baring his teeth. Prompto wasn't doing _anything_ of his own free will as the prince had previously thought _at all_. It was a disgusting trick, a despicable, lowly way of getting what Ardyn wanted. Noctis was seeing red. He was _beyond_ mad, he was _seething_. And what upset the alpha even more was the fact that this wasn't even the _first_ time the chancellor had assaulted the blonde. It had happened _before_ , when Noctis was nowhere to be found. The thought made Noctis' lungs burn. He couldn't help but feel _responsible_ for it all. If only he had _been_ there. If only he had been a better mate. If only he could have _protected_ Prompto.

Ardyn made a show of sighing heavily, rolling his eyes. "Now, Noctis, don't give me that look. Prompto has chosen who he wants. The choice it rather obvious, wouldn't you agree?"

"Like hell!" the prince spat out, pure venom in his words. "Prompto isn't deciding _any_ of this for himself at all! You're hypnotizing him, _commanding_ him against his will, and you know it _damned_ well!"

The fellow alpha shrugged noncommittally. "Let's agree to disagree."

"Let him go." Noctis stood on his feet, electricity crackling in the air around them. "Let him _go_ , or I'll-!"

"Ah-ah-ah!" Ardyn tutted the prince, pulling a gun from out of his back pocket and pointing it at Prompto's head. Noctis stilled. "Wouldn't want to do anything you'd regret, now, would you?" The chancellor grinned at Noctis' rage-filled stare and kissed Prompto's temple. " _ **Prompto**_ **, be a dear and present yourself to your alpha,** _ **would**_ **you, darling?** "

The omega got off the man's lap and peeled off his wet boxers, leaving them to pool at his feet. He got down on his hands and knees, facing Noctis and staring at him blankly and emotionlessly and sticking his ass out to Ardyn, spreading his legs wide.

Noctis was shaking with anger as he watched his lover listen to the other man. "Prom, _stop_ …!" He pleaded, hoping that somehow, some way, the real Prompto could hear him. "You don't need to _do_ this! This isn't _you_!"

" _Foolish_ boy, he can't _hear_ you! He only has ears for _me_." Ardyn looked down at Prompto's bare backside as if it were a buffet and he was a starving animal. "My, my, he certainly is _delectable_ , is he not?" The chancellor ran a hand down the boy's spine, making the omega shiver involuntarily beneath him. "I can't wait to sink my teeth into him…"

" _Don't you dare!_ " Noctis' heart beat wildly in his chest as he watched Ardyn shift and place himself behind Prompto, gun still in hand and pointed at the blonde, as the other hand pulled his half-hard dick back out of his pants and pumped himself back to life.

He had to do it. There was no other way. He had to break his promise to himself and Ignis, or he'd lose Prompto forever.

" **Prompto.** " Noctis watched the blonde's eyes jump towards his own, and he couldn't help but let out a little sigh of relief. " **Come here.** "

Prompto shifted away from Ardyn, beginning to crawl towards Noctis, and Ardyn growled. " **Prompto, you** _ **insolent brat**_ **, don't listen to him. Stay here.** "

The omega's eyes flashed again, and he stilled.

Noctis grimaced and Ardyn smirked. " _Face it_ , boy. There's no _winning_. He'd listen to _both_ of us, but I'm the one with the upper hand…" For emphasis, the man gently waved the gun in his hand. "…Now, if you don't want his head _blown off_ , you'll be a good boy and watch _quietly_ as I claim him for my own..."

Noctis wasn't about to give up so easily. If using his influence on Prompto was a lost cause, then he'd try it on a different person. " **Ardyn. Don't you touch him.** "

The other alpha flashed enraged eyes towards the prince as his body faltered in it's actions, stilling. "You little royal _twerp_!" It took only a second, but when Ardyn overcame the influence quickly, he moved the gun and aimed it at Noctis' head. "How _dare_ you try to influence _me_!"

" **Ardyn, put down the gun.** " Noctis showed no signs of fear, voice resonating, atmosphere in the room bending to his will. Ardyn did indeed drop the gun eventually, and the prince phased over to the man, his blade pushing sharply against his scruffy neck when he attempted to reach for it. Noctis glared down at him. " **Give me the keys.** " He commanded. Ardyn sneered and his entire body shook as he tried to fight the command, but sure enough the maroon-haired alpha reached into his coat pocket and handed over the ring of keys to the prince. With the keys now secure, he kicked the gun to the opposite side of the room. " **Prom, get up. Grab your things. We're leaving.** "

Prompto's eyes flashed and he got up and did as he was told, grabbing his articles of clothing to his chest and moving to stand beside Noctis. The omega reached over and fished his phone out of Ardyn's pocket and Noctis' eyes were like daggers towards the other man's. "You took his _phone_?!"

Ardyn scowled. "But of course."

" **Prompto, get out of here. Wait for me in the hall and get dressed.** " The blonde did as he was told and left the room, leaving the two other men alone. Noctis backed away from Ardyn slowly, blade still pointed, stormy blue eyes never leaving golden ones. "You will never touch Prompto again, for as long as you live, do you hear me?! Never. I will see you dead before you so much as think of ever laying a finger on him." He didn't use his influence this time. It was a threat, plain and simple. He didn't need anything but his own words to back up that promise.

In one quick movement he stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him, locking it as soon as it closed. Noctis turned to Prompto, shaking with adrenaline and leftover fear.

The boy looked a mess. His hair was messed up, sticking out in odd places from that rough grip. He looked pale, almost blue, and was still shivering from the cold in the room. There was a trail of dried blood along the side of his face, from his temple to his collar, and his lips was also split open. His clothes were wrinkled and disheveled, and he stood stock still, eyes looking to far off and distant. It made Noctis' heart twist painfully in his chest.

Ardyn had done this. Ardyn had done that to him.

Noctis took in a deep, shaky breath and focused on receding his influence, releasing his lover from his trance.

Slowly, the glimmer came back to Prompto's eyes and he jumped, snapping his head all around him, seemingly unaware of everything that had happened, of where he was. His eyes met Noctis' and he began tearing up and hyperventilating. " _Noct!_ " The blonde cried out and reached for his lover, drawing him close and burying his face into the warmth of the prince's chest.

Noctis held him tightly as the smaller man shook, crying wet spots into the fabric of his shirt. Noctis burrowed his head into a mess of blonde tangles and he couldn't stop himself from crying as well. He had almost _lost_ him. The feeling of loss and dread still clung to him like a second skin, even after being relatively safe. The fear of it all was still all too real, making his heart pound in his ears and his stomach drop to his feet.

Prompto hiccupped and squeaked, attempting to speak through his strangled sobs. " _I'm sorry_ , Noct- I- I never _told_ y-you, I t-thought you'd _hate_ me, I-"

Noctis pulled away just far enough to cradle the blonde's face in his hands, bringing his head up to kiss Prompto's lips, clumsily and softly, over and over again, wanting more than anything to quell the blonde's worries. None of that mattered anymore. Whatever the omega didn't tell him, if was for a reason and it was his choice. All that mattered now what that he was safe, and that Ardyn would never get to him again.

Prompto clung to Noctis, fisting the back of his shirt in his trembling hands that still felt entirely too cold, his entire body shaking along with his ragged breaths. The omega pulled Noctis as close as he could get him, until he was being pressed against the wall. He kissed Noctis desperately, like the boy would disappear if he stopped, if he let go, if he opened his eyes. A small part of him thought that this would all turn out to be a cruel dream, that when he woke up, he'd be back in Ardyn's clutches. Prompto whined into Noctis' mouth at the thought, and his shaking legs finally gave out, sending them both sliding down the wall to the floor.

Noctis pulled Prompto into his lap and stilled his lips against Prompto's, eyes still closed as their foreheads touched and he held the boy close. "I don't hate you, Prom. I'd _never_ hate you." He whispered the words against the omega's lips and kissed him again. Noctis wiped away the new tears that he felt fall onto his hands along the blonde's cheeks. He took a long, shuddering breath. "He's not going to touch you again- _Ever_ … Alright?"

Prompto nodded frantically, settling closer into his chosen mate's lap, pressing their bodies closer together, _needing_ the warmth of his body. Like it would seep through his very soul and purify him of the invisible fingerprints along his body, of the foul taste leftover in his mouth, making him feel ugly and disgusting and tainted beyond repair. He breathed in Noctis' scent, and it was like being baptized. With every inhale, he could feel Ardyn's stench leaving in every exhale. After what seemed like forever, his shaking slowly began to stop, and he pulled away from Noctis, breathless, heart pounding, and he nuzzled his face into the alpha's chest. He felt the prince's hands cling to him tightly, and the feeling of it was reassuring, calming.

Noctis huffed out a few breaths of his own and rubbed soothing hands over Prompto's head and his back. Now that they both had relatively calmed down, the very real danger of a guard eventually coming up and finding them was something Noctis couldn't shake. They had to move.

"Prom… Can you stand?"

Prompto squirmed in his mate's lap, testing his limbs for himself, and nodded. "Y-yeah… I think so…"

Noctis kissed the top of his head. "…We need to go to the others... They're waiting on us somewhere safe… Think you're up to it…?"

Prompto turned his head and looked down the hallway, trying to bring everything that wasn't Noctis into focus. His eyes were so sore from crying, so tired. He blinked weakly and raised his head to look into his alpha's eyes.

Noctis met his gaze and smiled, relieved to see the brightness back in them, the glimmer of life that had previously been gone. A small part of him had worried that Prompto would never look the same, that he'd be a zombie forever. He couldn't help himself as he pressed another kiss to the blonde's lips, closing his eyes and sighing into Prompto's mouth as those swollen lips opened for him, letting him in to taste and tease.

Prompto welcomed the roaming tongue easily, letting the taste of Ardyn melt away and be replaced with the taste of Noctis. After a short while of allowing himself to indulge in the serenity of his prince's embrace, Prompto pulled back. "I love you, Noct."

Noctis smiled warmly. "I love you too, Prom."

Prompto got out of Noctis' lap and stood up first, thankfully only a little wobbly on his feet, and Noctis stood up soon after. He took the omega's hand in his own and led him down the maze of hallways and rooms, towards where Lunafreya had told him Gentiana's quarters would be.


	31. Chapter 30

Surprisingly enough, they didn't have to fight as often as Noctis had thought they would have to. Battles came few and far between, and whenever they _did_ get cornered, it was never more than four or five guards at a time. Gladiolus hadn't been lying when he told them to follow the bodies. Noct didn't know if that was funny or terrifying.

In no time at all, the pair finally made it to the door that was supposedly the handmaid's chambers. Noctis was about to open the door and walk inside, but Prompto held him back, gripping and tugging on his hand with both of his own, pulling the prince to stay by his side.

Noctis frowned, turning to face his lover. "What is it, Prom…? It should be safe in here... Iggy and the others will help me protect you."

Prompto couldn't meet Noctis' eyes, so instead he focused his attention on their interlacing fingers, gnawing his bottom lip and shuffling his weight on his feet. He wanted to go inside. He wanted to see the smiling faces and childish banter of his friends again. But Noctis only just discovered his history with Ardyn. The others had known for some time now, and they weren't even his mate. It seemed incredibly unfair to Prompto, now, that the alpha had been left in the dark. "Um… Noct? …Can we talk a bit before going in…?"

Noctis furrowed his brows as he looked at his retainer, noticing that he couldn't meet his gaze. It was obvious that whatever it was the blonde had to discuss, it was either very important or very embarrassing. Perhaps a combination of both. "Yeah, of _course_ you can, Prom… What is it?"

"Um… Are you going to tell them what happened…? …Back there…?" Noctis thought about it for a bit, but before he could respond, Prompto was pressing on, squeezing his hand tightly. "Um. I don't want you to be mad, but, um… Ignis and Gladio already knew… about Ardyn…. From before…" Prompto waited for Noctis to pull his hand away in anger and yell at him, at knowing that basically everyone knew about the omega's prior assault but him, but nothing came. He didn't know if the silence was worse than anger, so he added, "Please don't be mad at them, Noct…"

Noctis watched his retainer fidget with his hands, rubbing little patterns into his skin and scratching idly at the dried blood or dirt from the few encounters with the guards. "I'm not mad", he assured, and when Prompto glanced up at him, the omega's eyes were glistening with worry and he felt his heart break a little.

"…You promise? I didn't mean to hide it from you, Noct, I just- "

Noctis pulled him close, hugging him tightly. "We've already been over this, Prom. I'm not upset." He kissed the top of the boy's head. "Promise."

Prompto relaxed into the embrace and nodded. "Okay…"

"…Is it okay for them to know about _this_ , too…?" Noctis asked, carefully. Prompto was silent for a long time. "…If it isn't, then- "

"No. It's okay. I think. Just… Don't give them too many details…?" Noctis felt Prompto's arms tighten around his midsection. "I… I don't want them to think of me any less for…"

"Prom, you were being _controlled_ against your will!" The prince retorted, heatedly, unable to understand why anyone would _blame_ him for what happened, but when he felt his lover tense in his arms, he lowered his voice to a whisper and rubbed the back of his neck. "They won't blame you for that. They won't hate you." The blonde nodded against the alpha's chest, hesitantly, and they stayed like that for a little while longer before breaking apart. "He's gonna pay for what he did to you, Prom. I swear."

Despite his inner anxiety and fears over the situation, Prompto managed a small smile as he looked into Noctis' eyes. "I know. Thanks."

Noctis smiled back, a small, private smile just for his omega, and he leaned in to kiss Prompto, but reeled back when the boy winced at the contact. "Oh. Your lip… I think Iggy will have a potion for that… You ready to go in now?"

Prompto resisted the urge to pout at the almost-kiss his wound denied him from enjoying and nodded. "Yeah. I'm ready now."

Without further hesitation, Noctis opened the door and led his lover inside. Gentiana's quarters were large and impressive. There weren't many personal artifacts. The space was neat and tidy, with no clutter whatsoever. Everything seemed to have a place. The door opened up to a large, open living space and kitchen. The dining area was off to the side, and the table could easily seat six or more. There was a hallway that no doubt led to her bedroom and bathroom, but another door led to a small but still rather spacious guest bathroom.

It was no surprise at all to the boys to see Ignis in the kitchen, perusing the food Gentiana had and trying to come up with a dish to serve them all. Gladiolus sat along one of the couches, reading his novel, and Nyx was nowhere to be found, surprisingly. Upon Noctis and Prompto's arrival, the two retainers stopped what they were doing and looked up.

"I was beginning to worry, what with how long it took the two of you to get here." Ignis said, cleaning his glasses off with the front of his shirt.

Gladiolus crossed his arms and smirked at the pair. "Did Noct get you lost, Prom? He has a _terrible_ sense of direction."

When there was no immediate response or witty comeback from their prince or his lover, the two retainers looked to one another before looking back towards the pair. Ignis adjusted his glasses, eyes squinting as they looked over Prompto. He observed the bruised temple, the dried blood, the busted lip, the crescent moon-shaped line of tiny cuts along his shoulder. "Prompto, you look rather battered…"

Gladiolus sat up a bit, eyeing the boy as well, and his smirk turned to a frown. "Yeah, you _do_ … You alright, kid?"

Prompto squirmed under their stares. His wounds burned under their scrutiny and he moved to stand behind Noctis a bit more and held himself, trying to shield his body from further inspection. He felt his face heat up in shame and embarrassment when he shifted on his feet and felt his underwear cling to him uncomfortably, cold and wet from his own slick. His erection had flagged long ago, thankfully, but he was still all too aware of how messy his hair was and how pale he must have looked. Thankfully, he didn't have to stand there in silence too much longer, because Noctis turned to him and placed a hand on the small of his back.

"Hey, go on ahead… Get a bath started for yourself, it'll make you feel better… I'll handle this." Noctis' voice was so soft and loving, and his hand was so warm through Prompto's clothes, it made the blonde's heart flutter. Prompto glanced up at the others briefly, for barely even a second, before looking away again and nodding. It was better to leave it to Noctis. He didn't think he'd be able to speak, to relive the situation through his words. Without a sound or excuse, he escaped down the hall and into Gentiana's bedroom, closing the door gently behind him. Noctis watched him leave and sighed heavily before sitting in a chair. "Where's Nyx?"

"He offered to stay with Lady Lunafreya and Gentiana for a while, to ensure their safety. I'm sure he'll find his way back, eventually." Ignis replied, sensing the strange tension about Noctis in the air, and moving out of the kitchen to sit closer to the other two. "But his whereabouts are hardly important after _that_ little scene." He was, of course, referring to how Prompto absolutely avoided them. "Did we say something wrong to him?"

Gladiolus sat up entirely, sitting on the couch as it was intended, his face hard. "Yeah. What happened with Prompto?"

Noctis swallowed hard. "Ardyn." The name fell from his lips heavily and gruff. He couldn't help the scowl on his face or the way his fists clenched in his lap as he said the chancellor's name, and it had much the same reaction to the others. "When I came inside the room to get him, Ardyn was already there." Noctis couldn't stop the anger in his voice, the way it rose higher in volume, and he began to physically shake as he remembered. "He had Prompto- He was _forcing_ him to- " He attempted to say it, but couldn't.

Thankfully, Ignis could put two and two together. "He assaulted him again.", the advisor supplied for his prince, and Noctis grit his teeth and nodded in response.

"That _son of a bitch_!" Gladiolus stood up, teeth bared. "Where the _fuck_ is he?! I really hope you killed him, Noct, because if he's alive somewhere I'm gonna _fucking kill him_!"

"Sit down, Gladiolus." Ignis commanded, voice quiet but firm. After all, Prompto was only in the other room and the boy didn't need to hear his friends getting so upset. "Let Noctis finish."

Noctis watched as his shield did so, begrudgingly. After a long silence to collect himself as well, he continued. "He had Prompto under his influence… I… I had to use mine, too… To get him out of there."

Both the retainers' brows shot up at that, and they gave each other shocked looks before Ignis turned his attention back to his charge. "Noct, I thought you'd never use your alpha influence again."

"I hoped I'd never have to… I'm sorry, Iggy… I broke my promise to you…"

The advisor huffed a small breath and shook his head. "Noctis, I would never be upset if you chose to use your influence. It is yours to use, after all, you were practically _born_ with it. And what happened before, with the daemon and the regalia, was a long time ago… I trust you, and I know you'd never use it to harm others. To be quite honest, I suspected it was only a matter of time before you'd _have_ to use it… The future king of Insomnia would naturally have to use his influence in some form or another _eventually_ …"

Noctis looked up at him and gave a tired little smile. "I suppose you're right about that, Specs..." Just as quickly as it came, though, that smile faded with the alpha's next words. "But I still want to avoid using it, if I can… I _hated_ it, Iggy. Prompto looked so _gone_ , so _lifeless_ …! He was like a fucking _zombie_ , and _I_ did that to him! I _never_ want to command Prompto like that… Ever."

Gladiolus nodded, crossing his hands over his broad chest. "It's never easy, taking over someone's will… It's always unsettling, and you feel awful afterwards… At least, _most_ decent alphas I know do… I don't blame you for not wanting to use it, Noct. And I'm sure Prompto doesn't blame you for using it on him. It was for his own good."

The prince gave an exasperated sigh, running his fingers through his hair and tugging lightly at the roots. "I know. I _know_ he won't hate me for it, Big Guy, but _I_ hate me for it… I feel like- like _him_. Like _Ardyn_! I feel disgusting."

The shield leaned forward where he sat and jabbed a finger in Noctis' direction. "Don't you _dare_ say that, Noct. You aren't Ardyn and you never will be. _Forget_ about him. He's history. _Especially_ after tomorrow..." Gladiolus shot back, heatedly. He couldn't allow Noctis to beat himself up like that. Ardyn was the scum of the earth. Noctis was a bit of a brat at times, yeah, but he was _hardly_ on the chancellor's level in _anything_.

Noctis closed his eyes and removed the grip in his hair, breathing steadily, trying to still his racing heart. "You're right… Sorry…"

The shield smirked. "Not the _first_ time I had to put you in your place. Absolutely won't be the last."

Noctis allowed himself a small smile as he leaned back into the couch, relaxing against the cushions as much as he could, given their current conversation. "No matter how I look at it, though, there's still one more major problem…"

"What would that be, Noctis?" Ignis mused, quirking his head a bit.

"…No matter what I do, if I'm ever away from Prom, there will always be a chance someone like Ardyn will try to take Prompto from me… He's never safe…"

"Prompto can defend himself." Gladio said, scratching the back of his neck. "

Ignis shot Gladiolus a look. "I think what Gladiolus _means_ to say, is that you shouldn't worry about things like that, Noctis." The advisor ignored the heavy eyeroll from the shield. "Prompto _is_ capable of protecting himself. He's proved that on more than one occasion… But, as we've also stated before, it's ultimately up to the two of you. We see the queen tomorrow and all of this will be resolved once and for all. I see no negative consequences now, after everything we've been through tonight, if the two of you _do_ decide to move your relationship forward... Gladiolus and I will stand behind any decision you decide upon."

Noctis sat there and let that information sink in for a while before rising from the couch. "…I'm gonna go check on Prom… See how he's doing…"

"Wait, Noct. Here." Gladiolus reached into his pocket and pulled out a potion. "Give him this. It'll help those wounds. The kid looks way cuter without a banged-up lip." The shield placed the glass vial into his prince's hands and gave him a firm pat on the back.

Noctis gave the man a genuine smile, pocketing the potion. "Thanks."

"Shall I make something for him to eat? There's enough ingredients for me to make a decent soup." Ignis went to rummaging the fridge again, pulling out various vegetables and laying them out on the counter.

Noctis wrinkled his nose at the prospect of a vegetable-heavy soup. "I'm not sure how hungry he'll be. He pretty shaken up about all of this…"

"Ignis nodded. "I'll go ahead and make some, and if he feels up to it later, it will be waiting on him."

Noctis gave the man a smile and a small wave over his shoulder as he set off to the bedroom. "Thanks, Specs. You guys are the best."

"Tell that to Nyx for me, will ya?" Gladiolus called after him, laughing. "I swear, the man's head has grown three times it's normal size since being in Altissia!"

Noctis snorted. "Someone has a head bigger than _yours_? Shocking."

…

Prompto closed the door behind him softly and leaned against it heavily. He felt tired, dirty, ashamed. Having Gladiolus and Ignis look at him like that, having them see his wounds and the sorry state of his appearance, had him feeling like dirt. It was too much to stand there, next to Noctis, in front of all of them, pretending like he hadn't just been broken. Like he hadn't been taken over entirely by the filthiest man in existence. It was too much, and he needed a bath.

He could hear the muffled words of Noctis and the others, on the other side of the door, off in the distance. He wondered how Noctis was explaining it. He wondered if they would think he was disgusting, if they would think he was weak for not being able to stand up to him.

Prompto physically shook his head, trying to wipe the upsetting worries from his mind. ' _It's over._ ', he had to remind himself, ' _It's all over, and you're free_.' He pushed off the door and padded through the bedroom, straight into the adjoining master bathroom.

It was smaller than Noctis' bathroom, but it was still rather nice. _Very_ nice. The space was made of carved white marble, just like the rest of the castle. The floors were surprisingly heated. He could feel the tiles warming his frozen toes as he stepped out of his shoes and socks, leaving them neatly by the door. The sink was a crystalline basin on a marble pedestal, and if you were to turn on the water, it would fall out through a small glass shoot and look like a little waterfall. A small bowl of little shell-shaped soaps sat off to the side, and it made Prompto smile with how little and cute they were. Prompto looked for a tub, but there was none.

In place of a tub, there was a very gorgeous shower. There was no curtain for privacy, only a long expanse of glass with a sliding door for entry. The ceiling above the shower was slanted and made of glass as well, allowing a beautiful view of the night sky and the stars above. The knobs to the shower were also cut from crystal, and when he turned the water on, it shot out in gentle streams from the shower walls, interlacing and falling to the floor in the middle of the shower. A small shelf was carved into one of the walls of the shower, and it held a few bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and soap that all smelled like sylleblossoms. A gentle light brightened the room from a switch at the door, dimly lighting the space. Prompto grabbed a towel from a towel rack next to the sink and marveled at how plush it was beneath his fingers.

" _You left me there, you ungrateful swine._ "

"Wha-?!" Prompto gasped as he could hear Ardyn right behind him, could smell his cologne, could feel the material of his coat brush against the back of his arms, causing goosebumps along his flesh and making the hair stand on end. He jerked his body around, almost giving himself whiplash in the process, but when he was facing the entrance to the bathroom, there was no one there. He was all alone still.

" _You think he won't tire of you soon enough?_ "

Prompto caught a glimpse of maroon in the corner of his eye and he whirled around again, but was once again met with nothing. He was going crazy, he was sure of it. He placed a hand over his pounding heart as his eyes darted to all areas of the room. Was it him, or had the room gotten colder? He swallowed, trying to calm down, trying not to freak out. Ardyn was locked away. He couldn't reach him. Noctis had promised, and he trusted Noctis. He was just going crazy. Prompto shucked off his vest and went to remove his top with trembling hands and was able to roll it half-way up his body before that voice rang out once more.

" _Yes, strip for daddy. Show your alpha that body of yours_."

Prompto released his shirt immediately, letting the fabric cover his midsection once more, crying out and jumping with fear. As shirt fell back over his head he swore he saw Ardyn behind him in his reflection in the glass of the shower door and he screamed, falling to the floor and crawling backwards on his hands and knees until he was backed into the corner of the bathroom, next to the door and his forgotten shoes. "You _aren't_ my alpha! You'll _never_ be my alpha!" He yelled, clutching his knees closer to his chest as his words echoed off the empty walls and back into his ears.

" _Why are you even bothering to resist? You know what I can do to you_ … _And with only a single tone_ …"

Prompto screwed his eyes shut. "You can't control me anymore! I'm not going to let you!" He covered his ears, trying to block that sickly false-sweet voice out of his head.

"…Prom?"

Prompto opened his eyes and saw Noctis there, kneeling in front of him, looking concerned and scared. Slowly, Prompto took his hands off his ears and looked around frantically. His shoes and socks were still on. The towel he had pulled from the rack was still hanging along the wall, untouched. The shower wasn't even running, and the lights in the room weren't even turned on. It's as if the entire last few minutes had never happened, like it was all a lie. He shook his head, incredulously. It had all been a dream? Some kind of terrible, Gods-damned hallucination?

"…Noct?" He called out weakly, voice barely even reaching a whisper. Was this man an illusion, too? Was he was still trapped with Ardyn, in that cell, and none of this was real at all? Without hesitation he flung himself into the alpha's arms, pulling him close. Prompto felt the frantic, worried beating of Noctis' heart through his chest, felt the warmth of his body, how solid Noctis was against him, and he held back tears of joy. It _wasn't_ a dream. This Noctis was _real_. Prompto shuddered and pulled his lover closer, fisting the front of the prince's shirt in his hands.

Noctis wrapped his arms around the blonde, confused but firm, as he looked down at the top of his head. Prompto was scared, trembling. Why had the blonde been sitting on the floor with the lights out? ' _He said I wasn't going to control him anymore_ …' The alpha bit his lip and furrowed his brows, guilt washing over him and constricting his chest painfully. This was all _his_ fault. He had scared Prompto by putting him under his influence back there had traumatized him, and it was all _his_ fault. "Prom, I'm so, _so sorry_! I'll never do it again, I swear! _Never_!"

Prompto pulled away and lifted his head to look up at Noctis, confused. "…What?"

"I don't want you to feel like I'm going to make you do anything against your will. I'll _never_ want to have that much control over you, Prom! I'm not Ardyn. I'm _different_ , I swear!" This time it was Noctis who was beginning to shake, and Prompto felt his heart fall into his gut. Without any context, the prince had thought Prompto was talking about _him_ , and that wasn't what Prompto wanted to say to Noctis at all.

"I know you aren't Ardyn, Noct... I'd _never_ think you were him..." Prompto placed his hands on his alpha's neck and pulled the boy's face closer to his own, kissing his cheeks and the tip of his nose tenderly. "I'm sorry. You came in at a bad time, I… I thought I saw Ardyn. I could hear his voice in my head, telling me these awful, _terrible_ things, and I- I don't know. I freaked out… I thought you'd end up being fake, too. But I'm so happy you're not…" He rubbed their foreheads together and sighed when he felt Noctis relax and rub up and down his spine, hand slipping beneath his tank top. "I'm _terrified_ , Noct… I keep worrying that he's gonna escape and find me… That he's going to command me to do terrible things. Maybe he'd even tell me to _kill_ you, and I wouldn't be able to _live_ with myself!"

"Shhhh…" Noctis shushed him gently, and peppered the blonde's forehead in feather-light kisses that had Prompto eventually sighing and relaxing. "That won't happen, Prom. I have the keys. And even if he _does_ break out, if he so much as steps into the same _room_ as you, _ever_ , I'm going to kill him. I'm going to shove my blade through his chest and kill him where he stands." He pulled back and stared into Prompto's wide eyes and he brushed the bangs out from around his freckled face before adding, "If the queen doesn't _already_ kill him or lock him up for the rest of his life, that is." Prompto attempted to smile wide and chuckle at his lover's words but stopped and winced as he felt his injured lip pull painfully, the scabbing wound tearing in the process and sending a little bead of blood to roll down his chin. "Oh, here. Take this."

Noctis took the potion out of his pocket and handed it to the blonde, who crushed it in his hands, allowing the healing magic to soak into his skin. He felt warm and tingly all over as the potion took effect, steadily healing his wounds until they were little more than a memory. Free to smile as he pleased, the omega did just that, and pressed a kiss to his prince's lips. "Thank you." Noctis smiled and kissed him back, one perfect smack of lips after another, over and over, until Prompto was giggling and squirming, lightly shoving him away. "Okay, okay! Let a guy breathe, will you?"

Noctis laughed and gave him one final, long peck before pulling back and standing up to turn on the lights, finally brightening up their dark surroundings. "Ready to shower…?"

Prompto got up as well and grimaced at his reflection in the little mirror above the sink, seeing the dried blood along his skin. "I was ready _hours_ ago..." He was about to begin taking off his clothes, but looked to his mate and asked, "…You joining me?"

Noctis shrugged, trying to play off like he was nonchalant, but the little smile he couldn't quite hide and that playful twinkle in his eye gave his wishes away. "If you want me to."

Prompto pulled his alpha by his hips, bringing him close, until their clothed bodies were against each other, and he relished the way his prince's breath hitched as he kissed a delicate trail along Noctis' pale neck. "It would make me feel better if you stayed."

"Then who am I to say no?"

Prompto smiled and sighed, kissing along Noctis' skin as the prince's hands roamed up his sides, under his vest and over his shoulders, sliding the article of clothing off his body to fall to the floor. The blonde kissed along the prince's collarbone as his own hands made quick work of gliding down Noctis' chest, hooking his thumbs under the hem of his black shirt and raising it over his head to be discarded along with his black jacket in one go. Prompto's mouth roamed along the alpha's chest as he kicked off his shoes, only breaking to allow Noctis to yank his tank top over his own head.

When the alpha finally had the omega's chest exposed, he licked his lips, gliding his hands over the slightly smaller boy's freckled shoulders and arms, down to his waist, fingers slipping under the wait of his pants, tugging him back against his body and kissing him passionately. He tilted his head to the side and pushed his tongue past Prompto's trembling lips and the blonde moaned as he grazed it over his own. Noctis kicked clumsily out of his own shoes, focusing most of his attention on his retainer, and Prompto smiled into their kiss when the prince almost tripped and fell over in the process.

Prompto reached between their bodies and undid his lover's pants, pushing them half-way down Noctis' thighs and letting him shimmy them the rest of the way down and kick them off. He was more than happy to undo and step out of his own pants as his Noctis' mouth nibbled along the shell of his ear, causing the blonde's breath to hitch. "Noct, the shower isn't even on yet." The retainer mused aloud, leaning his head back and offering the skin of his neck up to the man.

Noctis glanced beside them, to where the shower was bone dry, and he playfully sighed, breaking away from his lover. "Hmmm, so it is… Must have forgotten. Something was distracting me." He slid the door of the shower open and reached for one of the crystalline knobs, turning on the water. Prompto was more than happy to peel his damp boxers off his body as Noctis did so, and as the alpha was testing the water with his hand, waiting for the streams to get warm, he pressed himself against Noctis' back, kissing along his shoulder, before pulling down the prince's boxers as well.

Once the water was finally warmed up to a reasonable temperature, Noctis turned around and took Prompto's hand, pulling them both under the streaming water, flush against each other once more, damp erections sliding against one another in the most delightful way. "You know, contrary to what my dick may tell you, I _do_ want you to take a proper shower.", Noctis teased, attempting to rub away some of the blood from the blonde's shoulder with a thumb.

Prompto rolled his eyes. " _Yeah_?" He looked down at his prince's length before meeting his eyes, smiling mischievously. "How long is _that_ thought gonna last?"

Noctis made a show of looking off to the side, pretending to be deep in thought. "It's a mystery."

Prompto laughed warmly and shook his head as he reached for the shampoo. "Okay, dude. Guess we'd better hurry, then, huh? Here- you first."

Prompto lathered a good amount of the liquid in his hands and he pulled his prince out of the streams to lather his hair up thoroughly. Noctis gave him the same treatment, and then they rinsed off in the water before repeating the actions with conditioner as well. Afterwards, Noctis made work of grabbing a bar of soap and pulling Prompto close as he rubbed the bar along his arms, back, and sides. Prompto melted against Noctis and sighed as he felt his mate rub the soap into his skin, washing away the blood and grime, making him feel clean again.

Prompto found his mouth roaming as Noctis' fingers massaged into him. He made sweet, delicate, open-mouthed kisses along his clavicle, against his shoulder, up his neck, pausing to lick and suck and his adams apple, under his jaw, causing Noctis to lean his head back and allow him more room to cover with his mouth. Noctis' hands were beginning to slow as he became more distracted, but that was okay. _Anything_ was okay as long as it was Noctis. Prompto just loved him so much, more with every passing day. He was so thankful that they were able to cross paths and meet, to become friends, to become lovers. The blonde sucked at the juncture right below Noctis' ear and the man moaned, low in his throat, and dropped the soap entirely, choosing to grip his omega by the hips and grind their soapy bodies together instead. Prompto dropped his head and returned to kissing his prince's chest, breaking away every so often to whimper softly and pant against his damp skin with every particularly wonderful slide of their damp erections against one another.

Prompto barely realized what he was doing, tugging Noctis closer as his teasingly light kisses became almost more-than-teasing nips and scrapes of teeth, just over his heart, until the skin there was turning red from the teasing abuse and Noctis was groaning against the top of his head, arms tightening around his lover's body.

"Prom, mark me."

Those words seemed to snap the blonde out of his love-filled trance, his head snapping up to look into Noctis' eyes, questioningly, brows furrowed in uncertainty at what he just heard. Noctis' eyes stared down into his hot and strong, swimming with a mix of emotions and steeled conviction. "Noct, I- " He bit his lips, eyes darting over his prince's every feature. From his kiss-swollen lips, to his perfectly sharp and defined nose, to those high cheek bones and thick eyelashes. To the way those stormy blue eyes roamed over him like he was the most beautiful piece of art on this planet. To his wet hair that clung to his face and tamed the usual tufts in the back. Noctis was handsome and breathless and _his_ , soft and warm under his hands and against his body. " -A-are you sure? What about- "

"Forget about anything else, Prom." The prince's voice was soft but firm, washing away all thought and commanding attention, which the prince got, in every aspect. "I've been sure about this ever since I confessed to you, right there on that dock. I meant every word I said to you. I want to be able to call you _mine_ , Prom. I want to be able to look at my bond mark in the mirror and be reminded of you every single day for the rest of my life." Prompto's heart was beating furiously in his chest as Noctis spoke, and all he could do was stand there, mouth parted slightly, listening to the love of his life spill his heart out before him. He could feel the blush spreading across his cheeks, but he hardly cared. All his attention was on the man in front of him. "I want to sit on the throne with you by my side as my equal, my fellow king, not just some retainer. I want to go into battle knowing I have your back and you have mine, no matter what the outcome or foe. I want to hold you close to me every night and feel your heart beat against my chest, and to thank every God out there that'll listen for _giving_ you to me, for _allowing_ me to know what life can be like as long as you're with me…" Prompto could see Noctis getting more passionate as he spoke, voice getting slightly louder with his conviction. He could see the light pink blossoming steadily along the prince's face as he neared the end of his speech, could feel those hands pressing firmly into his sides, trembling, as if afraid the omega would slip through his fingers at any time and disappear from his life forever, and it was _everything_. I was the _whole world_ , right in front of him. "So… What do _you_ want, Prom…?"

Noctis' eyes darted all over the omega's face, nerves taking him over, his brows struggling not to furrow under the pressure of awaiting an answer. Prompto's breath had caught in his throat long ago and as the prince stared down at him, he had to remind himself to breathe. Prompto knew in his heart, all the way down to his very soul, that he wanted to bond with Noctis. But he was nowhere near as eloquent with his words as the alpha in front of him. So he stood on his tip-toes and closed his eyes, pressing his lips to Noctis' and wrapping his arms around the future king's neck, tugging him close as their mouths work hungrily over one another's. Prompto kissed Noctis until he had no air left in his lungs, until his body was wobbling and trying to keep balance, and when they finally broke apart, Prompto stared at his gorgeous mate and smiled a small, gentle, loving smile. He knew what he wanted, and he wasn't going to let his thoughts, or the entire rest of the world stop him from receiving it this time. "I want _all_ of you, Noctis... Every last bit."

Noctis stood stock still in Prompto's arms, as if he was awaiting to be rejected, and then he grinned wide, a smile so big his face began to hurt from it, and he held Prompto's face close in his hands and kissed him feverishly, raining his lips with firm, chaste, wet pecks until Prompto was grinning just as wide, laughing under the assault. They stood close, laughing together with their foreheads pressed until they calmed down. Noctis kissed him, soft and slow. "I'm never gonna let you go, Prom. I'm gonna love you and cherish you for the rest of my life…"

The blonde smiled, giving the prince a teasing roll of his hips and an even more teasing look in his eyes, his voice dropping to a sultry whisper against Noctis' lips. "…You wanna start cherishing me _now_?"

Noctis groaned at the friction and returned the omega's devilishly teasing look with a smirk. "Absolutely..."

Without hesitation, Noctis dropped to his knees and kissed along Prompto's stomach, down past his blonde happy trail, in the dip of his hip bones, and Prompto let out a whiney moan, threading his fingers through dark hair as Noctis brought one of his legs up over his shoulder and mouthed the head of his cock. Noctis held his lover steady with one hand as the other rubbed up the back of Prompto's other leg and groped his ass teasingly before inserting a finger and thrusting it steadily inside of him. .

" _Ah- Mn-!_ " Prompto threw his head back, mouth slack, giving himself over to the assault on both sides. Noctis never gave him more than little swipes of his tongue, on and under the head, and it kept him teetering on the edge as he added another finger, deftly scissoring him open. Noctis looked up at his lover and smirked before wrapping his mouth around the blonde's dick and giving a slow, deep suck, hollowing his cheeks. Prompto bucked into the mouth before pushing back on those fingers, increasingly growing impatient with every skilled caress. Noctis soon added a third finger and backed off his dick entirely, watching Prompto whine and gasp, kissing the freckled thigh that rested on his shoulder until finally the omega felt prepared enough for the real thing.

He pulled his fingers out of the blonde and rose to his feet. "How well do you think you can stand on one foot…?" Noctis breathed, eyes cloudy with lust as he looked upon Prompto's dazed and needy expression.

Prompto shrugged. "Dunno… Don't mind trying it out, though." He would have bent over backwards for this man, so the question hardly mattered to him. He watched Noctis nod and back him up against the wall of the shower.

"Get on your toes." The prince commanded, voice low, and Prompto wasn't even _trying_ to refuse that request. Not in a million years.

Prompto let out a little breathless laugh as he did as his prince instructed. "I have a feeling you've been keeping _everyone_ on their toes since the day you learned how to crawl.", he teased, standing on his tip-toes.

"Well, you're not _wrong_ …" Noctis brought one of Prompto's legs up to hook over his arm, keeping it held up and bent as that hand held his hip, keeping him steady. Noctis' free hand travelled up the blonde's back, holding him in a close embrace against the wall. Prompto kept his hands on his alpha's chest, feeling his rapid heartbeat beneath his fingers as their lips met in a wet battle of tongue and teeth and Noctis pushed inside, Prompto's slightly elevated new height allowing him to enter easily, aided both by the water rushing down their bodies and the slick in Prompto's ass.

Noctis began to move in a steady rhythm and Prompto was quickly being reduced to a moaning mess against his lover's mouth. Noctis happily ate them up, often letting out a few muffled groans of his own as he held the blonde open against the wall and fucked him senseless. Slick, swift thrusts with no resistance, that hit all Prompto's sensitive spots with every deep roll of his hips. It was all the omega could do to keep himself grounded, to stay on his toes and not absolutely turn to jelly and fall out, as he gripped Noctis' shoulders and chest clumsily, whimpering into the slightly taller man's mouth as every slide of the alpha's cock in his ass sent him higher and higher, had his orgasm building tighter and tighter in his gut.

Prompto pulled away from their messy kiss and bent his head down over Noctis' shoulder, panting against his damp skin, and crying out with every thrust, steadily growing a bit louder with every motion without the prince's mouth to quiet him. His leg that wasn't being held up was trembling, and his heart was pounding heavily in his chest, and it felt like he was _dying_ , drowning in an almost overwhelming pleasure that he couldn't escape from. Noct's rolling of his hips against the blonde's ass were so deep, so tender and steady, his hands so firm on Prompto's back and hip, and it was incredibly close and intimate. The light of the bathroom was soft, but dim, their bodies were mostly bathed in the starlight from above, and when Prompto looked up to stare at his lover, he couldn't help but think that the man looked so ethereal, so beautiful. Like he was mean to be in the very moon itself, and the omega would be every one of his stars.

Prompto could feel that he was getting close, and without giving any further thought he closed his eyes, bent his head down, and kissed Noctis chest once, lovingly, directly over his heart, before gripping his shoulders firmly and biting down on him there, hard, sinking his teeth in and drawing blood in the process, irrevocably bonding his prince to him, body and soul.

Noctis' hips stuttered with that action, and he cried out, engulfed in the unexpected pain and pleasure of it. In an instant, it was like he was reborn. With that bite, all at once he could smell Prompto clearly, even with the suppressants and the water rushing over him. It was intense and intoxicating. Every other feeling was increased. He could practically _feel_ his very soul reaching towards and calling out for Prompto's, like his essence was being sucked toward the man. It was as if there were no secrets. He felt like, with merely a _look_ , he could tell exactly what his lovers needs were, what the boy was feeling, what he might even be _thinking_ , if he were to try hard enough. It felt so intense, so _amazing_ , so intimate on an entirely separate, _spiritual_ level, and with only a few short, ragged snaps of his hips, he was cumming with a loud moan, Prompto's name on his lips and echoing off the walls.

Prompto almost felt bad for inflicting pain on his alpha, but those last few thrusts rubbed him just right, in a way he couldn't even _describe_ , and hearing his name called out like that, like he was being worshipped, blew all his worries out of the water and sent him tumbling over the edge of ecstasy. He tightened around that member as Noctis filled him, milking him dry, and his own orgasm tore through him, splashing on their stomachs. Prompto's body twitched with aftershocks as Noctis softened inside of him and their breathing evened, and they stayed close together as they came down from their high.

Noctis carefully lowered Prompto's leg, and the omega finally let himself relax on his feet. He clung to his mate and watched the blood wash off from the bite mark on the prince's chest, flowing down and swirling pink into the drain on the floor. Prompto kissed it tenderly and brushed his fingers across it delicately, marveling that the bond mark was _there_ , that this was _reality_. That previous guilt was surging back up in his chest as he looked at it, and he licked his lips before whispering, "Did I… Did I do it good…?"

Noctis slid his hands up and down over Prompto's freckled back and smiled, his heart fluttering in his chest while he watched his omega treat and touch his bond mark so carefully. "You did great, babe. It looks wonderful."

"…Does it hurt too bad?" Prompto looked up at him with those large, doe eyes and Noctis kissed him.

"Only a little, but it's worth it. Trust me." Noctis turned the water off and stepped out first, grabbing a towel off the nearby rack and wrapped it around his waist before pulling one off for Prompto and holding it up, letting Prompto step into it and bring it around his body.

"…Do you feel any different?" Prompto asked as they dried themselves off.

"It feels…" The prince pondered it for a moment. "…Like I've never truly _felt_ anything before now. I feel connected to you on a level I wouldn't have even be able to detect before. It's like my entire body is tuned in to a Prompto-specific frequency."

The blonde laughed as he toweled his hair dry. "Oh, yeah? Then tell me, Noct, what am I feeling?"

Noctis quirked a brow at him. "Hungry." As if on some terrible tv comedy, _that's_ the time Prompto's stomach decided to growl loudly, making him pout as his mate laughed heartily, pulling him close. "See? I was right."

Prompto rolled his eyes. "That doesn't count! I'm _always_ hungry!", the omega pouted, only half-seriously.

Now properly dry, Noctis let the towel fall from his body and watched Prompto with an amused smirk as the omega's eyes unabashedly roamed over his body, lingering on the fresh wound on his chest a little longer than he should have, drinking him in and biting his lip unconsciously. Noctis could smell the subconscious desire rolling off him, could sense the way his heart was beginning to pick up its pace, and he stepped a little closer. "I can tell you want me to mark _you_ now…" Prompto's eyes travelled from the prince's body to his eyes, a gorgeous mixture of hesitance, anticipation, and desire swimming in his sky-blue irises, and the alpha added, "…If you're ready… Iggy has soup on, if you'd rather eat something first."

Prompto shook his head and let his own towel drop carelessly to the floor. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he took a step toward his mate, reaching out for one of his hands to hold. His stomach was doing nervous little flips, and he didn't think he'd be able to hold down food even if he _wanted_ to. "I'm ready…", he breathed, shy and quietly, and he made a little squeak of surprise when Noctis suddenly picked him up. Prompto hooked his legs around his prince's waist and clung to his neck, kissing him softly as the alpha maneuvered them out of the bathroom and onto the bed. It was much harder than the alpha previously anticipated, especially with Prompto's mouth taking his breath away and blocking his vision of the exit, but soon enough Noctis was sitting up against the headboard with Prompto settled in his lap.

Noctis kissed Prompto, mouth gliding over his omega's, hot and firm, and every press of his lips sent Prompto's body alight with heat and passion. The prince nipped his retainer's lip before swiping along it with his tongue and delving inside Prompto's mouth, mapping him out. His hands held the boy firmly against his lap, and every time their tongues slid together he would grind his hips upwards, against Prompto's ass with his newly-roused member.

The blonde gasped, mouth turning up into the ghost of a smile as Noctis' lips left his to kiss over his neck and clavicle. His hands left Prompto's hips to rub up his sides, his ribs, his chest, fingers dancing and brushing across him like he was painting an intricate picture. Noctis touched along his back, stopped to palm his ass, rubbed up and down his spread thighs, and Prompto couldn't help but lean back, bracing his weight with his hands on Noctis' thighs as his prince's hand finally drifted between his legs to wrap around his growing erection.

Noctis smirked against Prompto's temple as he gripped the base of Prompto's cock, feeling the boy buck into his hand impatiently. "Does it feel good, babe…?", he mumbled, kissing along Prompto's hair line as he gave the blonde a few firm, long strokes up and down the length of him, spreading the gathered precum in his hand and along Prompto's shaft with every pump.

Prompto let out a quiet moan and nodded, leaning further back and rolling his hips up to meet every downward glide of Noctis' hand. The alpha's other hand rested at the small of his back, massaging the skin lovingly. " _Y-yeah_ …!"

Noctis smiled at how utterly adorable and needy his omega was behaving, the sight of Prompto thrusting into his hand looking foreignly naughty, and it gave him a wonderful idea. He captured Prompto's lips once more before pulling back and whispering, "Want to ride me, Prom…?", into his ear. "I want to see you working for it… just like this…"

The heat from Prompto's blush made the omega feel like his skin was going to _burn_ off him as his alpha whispered that to him, but he couldn't deny that he wanted it. Biting his lips, he looked down at where Noctis' hand was working him and nodded furiously, too embarrassed to admit it out loud. It had always been Noctis doing all the work, treating him so wonderfully and making him melt, and the thought of being able to do the same for him made his cock jump and his heart race uncontrollably.

Noctis pulled back to rest against the headboard, settling among the pillows, a sultry smirk playing on his lips as he watched his retainer sit up on trembling legs and position himself over the tip of his flushed cock. He looked so cute, so focused, doing his best to hold himself up with one hand and grab Noctis' member with the other and bring it to his entrance.

Prompto licked his lips as he slowly sunk himself down on Noctis' cock, taking in the tip. His breathing was hitched, face irrevocably flushed, and he sunk lower, staring right into his lover's eyes until he was fully seated. Noctis hissed in a breath as the sight of it all, at the feeling of Prompto's insides wrapped around him tightly. He was tighter than normal, partly from nerves and partly from excitement, and Noctis loved it, rolling his hips and grinding into his omega experimentally.

The blonde's head fell forward and he moaned at the action, his mate's dick searing hot and pulsing deep inside of him. Prompto was feeling everything even more intensely than usual, probably because he was doing this for the first time, and he felt _wonderful_ , save for the light embarrassment. If he was perfectly honest, he could already feel his orgasm creeping up on him at a rapid pace. He swallowed and tried to calm himself as he lifted himself up, weight still braced on the tops of Noctis' thighs, and sunk back down on that cock, eliciting a barely-contained moan from Noctis.

Prompto looked up to gaze at Noctis once more and the man looked so entranced, staring at his ass as it swallowed him, mouth slack and eyes furrowed in concentration, possibly trying just like him not to cum too soon. But that, in an of itself, was an enticing challenge, and Prompto became determined to be the one to make the prince cum first. He swallowed down his nerves and ground down on the alpha's member, loving the little groan Noctis made, before raising and lowering himself on his mate repeatedly.

The motions were slow at first, teasing, testing the waters, but the more Prompto lifted and lowered his ass over Noctis' cock, the more Noctis was seeming to unravel, letting out encouraging sounds and whispering the blonde's name until Prompto was moving faster and deeper, bouncing on his alpha's cock expertly. Noctis could barely keep his hands to himself, roaming them over Prompto's neck, down his chest, along the inside of his thighs, until finally resting on his hips. Prompto moaned loudly, barely controlling that tight coil of pleasure in his gut when Noctis began to bring his hips down a little harder and rougher into every thrust.

Noctis couldn't stand it anymore. Prompto was too sexy, too perfect, and he wasn't going to last much longer. He leaned forward and hugged the blonde's torso close to his own, crashing his lips upon Prompto's in a searing kiss, dominating his mouth, making him quiver beneath him as he struggled to keep moving through the intense pleasure. When he broke the kiss, Prompto let out a needy little whine that went straight to his cock, and he moved his mouth lower, until it was directly over his heart, and bit down, hard, unable to stop himself from cumming as he did so.

Prompto won the battle of who would last longer, but he couldn't even entertain the thought as he felt Noctis' teeth bite into him, in much the same place as he had to him, over his chest, and the elation of finally being bonded to his best friend sent his orgasm ripping through him almost painfully, head thrown back, mouth open in a silent scream as he spilled his seed across Noctis' chest.

It was more intense than he had _ever_ imagined it feeling. The bite was painful, yes, but not overwhelmingly so. He barely even _felt_ it over the other sensations coursing through him. He could feel Noctis pulsing against him, could feel his body calling out to him, begging for him, as if they had some form of magnetic pull. He could sense his lover's elation, could practically taste it on his tongue as Noctis licked over the mark, smearing blood along his lips and Prompto's chest. Every brush of his skin and lap of his tongue and scrape of his teeth felt intensified ten-fold, and his entire body trembled with aftershocks. Prompto could sense the alpha's need to kiss him even before Noctis was pulling him by the back of his neck into a heated clash of lips, and he could taste his on blood as his mate sucked on his tongue.

Noctis pulled Prompto close, resting against the pillows again and cradling his mate as Prompto relaxed against his chest, kissing the prince back lazily and dazed as he collected himself from his high. The blonde was a pliant puddle above him, boneless and relaxed and utterly sated. Prompto nuzzled his lover's neck as Noctis whispered into his ear, filling his heart to the brim with sweet nothings and promises of eternal love.

"I love you so much, Prom… So, so much… Gonna be _so_ good to you. The best alpha ever… Gonna love you forever, Prom… You did so good for me, babe. You took me so well… You're the best omega I could ever ask for, Prom…" He punctuated every sentence with little messy kisses along the corner of his mouth and along his jaw.

Prompto would have been giggling happily and returning the tender words, but he felt drained beyond belief, and could only close his eyes and sigh happily as Noctis pulled out and turned them over to lay on their sides, pulling him close and nuzzling the top of his head. After a long while of just laying there in each other's arms, Prompto finally found his voice, tipping his head up to kiss Noctis' chin before saying, "Iggy's soup sounds _really_ good right about now…"

Noctis snorted sleepily and pulled his mate closer. "See? I _knew_ you were hungry…"

"Shut up…"

Even though soup did seem tempting, Prompto found himself gazing up at the face of a sleeping Noctis, calm and serene, and the blonde decided to hold off on eating until later. For now, he'd let his alpha rest. Prompto stayed up a little later, fingers gliding lightly over his and Noctis' bond marks and smiling affectionately to himself. In the back of his mind, he was still afraid that all of this wasn't real, that Ardyn's voice would invade his mind again, but he pushed it down.

Noctis was here. Noctis would protect him. And he'd protect Noctis, forever, always at his side. And as sleep pulled heavily at his eyelids, he suddenly decided that he wasn't so scared of anything anymore.


	32. Chapter 31

Noctis woke up to the most delightful warmth weighing down on his body. When he cracked his sleepy eyes open, he found Prompto still sleeping, head resting on his chest, next to his bond mark, and an arm wrapped possessively around his waist and a leg slung over one his own, locking him into place. The prince smiled to himself and ran his fingers through his mate's hair. The soft light filtering in through the high windows made him look so beautiful, and he looked so serene as he slept peacefully, but today was no day to sleep in.

Noctis shook his omega's shoulder gently. "Prom…? You gotta wake up, buddy. It's a big day today…"

Prompto scrunched his face up in the most adorable way and held Noctis tighter. "Five more minutes…"

The prince chuckled under his breath. " _You're_ the one wanting to sleep in for once? That's a first."

Prompto smirked, still refusing to open his eyes and move. "Shut up. I'm so comfy…" The blonde's stomach sounded out in an angry growl and Noctis laughed.

"You sure you don't want to get up? Not even for breakfast?"

Finally, Prompto opened his eyes and gave a sleepy smile up towards his lover. "I _am_ still pretty hungry from yesterday…"

Noctis kissed Prompto's head and rubbed his hand along his back. "Come on. Let's go heat up that soup."

With a reluctant sigh, Prompto rolled off his alpha and stretched before sitting up and looking around groggily. Noctis slid out of bed to retrieve their clothes from the bathroom. Before handing the clothes to Prompto he looked the boy over, smiling softly to himself as he took in how serene and sleepy and adorable he was, the bond mark still fresh and red along his chest. He was filled with a huge sense of pride. That was _his_ omega in that bed. _His_ mate. And Noctis looked forward to waking up to that gorgeous sight every day.

Prompto watched Noctis just stood at the door frame of the bathroom, looking him over with absolute adoration and warmth in his eyes. He could feel the thick waves of love rolling off the prince as if he was radiating it, and he blushed. "You gonna stand there and just stare at me or are we gonna get dressed?" He mumbles, averting his eyes in embarrassment.

Noctis laughed and moved to kiss his cheek. "Sorry, babe. Just admiring how perfect you are with my mark on you…", he whispered into his retainer's ear and didn't miss the way Prompto's ears and neck turned a delightful pink to match his cheeks as a full-body shudder raced down his spine.

Dressing didn't take too long, and with their slightly wrinkled clothes back on, the two made their way out of Gentiana's bedroom and down the short hallway to her living room. No surprise to anyone, Ignis was already awake and sitting at the dining table, idly sipping coffee and looking out the window. Gladiolus and Nyx were sitting next to him. They all looked up in unison as they realized the two boys were finally awake.

"Ah, Noctis. Prompto. Are the two of you hungry? I'll heat up the food from yesterday, if you'd like." Ignis gave them both a small smile and got up from the table in order to do just that, not needing any conformation. He knew the two boys well enough to already know that they definitely wanted food.

Noctis and Prompto took their seats at the table. "Yeah, Specs. That'd be great. We're starved."

Gladiolus crossed his arms over his chest and bellowed out a hearty laugh. "I _bet_ you are, after all that _strenuous activity_ last night..." He pointed a knowing look towards Prompto, waggling his eyebrows.

Prompto turned a wonderful shade of cherry and buried his face in his hands. " _Oh_ , _Gods_ , you _heard_ us?!"

Nyx laughed and gave his own little knowing smirk. "The walls here in Altissia aren't nearly as thick as in Insomnia, I guess, huh? Guess I should call you Princess now, huh? Seeing as the two of you have bonded and all, now."

' _They can tell that too?_ ' Prompto lifted his head and gave the other two men a strangled whine. "No, that's okay. Just 'Prompto' is fine. I don't feel any different or- more royal- than who I was before yesterday, so… Yeah. Just. Prompto."

Noctis smiled and put an arm around his lover's shoulder. "Only a few more months and you'll be calling him 'King', anyways. I wouldn't get used to calling him 'Princess'."

" _Noct!_ "

Ignis sat the two reheated bowls of soup in front of them and took his own seat once more. "Speaking of bonding, I'd like it very much if you would allow me to take a look at those wounds… Without proper attention, they could still become infected and irritated like any other bite. Best not to be too cautious with such matters."

Noctis nodded, eyeing his soup suspiciously. Too many vegetables for his liking, but well, breakfast is breakfast and he wouldn't get anything else for a while. "Okay, yeah. That'd be good."

They all sat in relative silence for a while before Nyx perked up. "Hey. The Queen has returned."

"Yeah?" Gladiolus got out of his seat and moved over towards the window where the kingsglaive was. "He's right, guys. She's walking into the castle as we speak, Ravus in tow. No doubt he's telling her the situation as we speak, heading towards the throne."

Noctis smirked around his spoonful. "Not for long, he isn't. You guys ready to pick up Luna and crash his little welcome home party?"

"Hell yeah we are." Nyx replied, already standing up and readying himself.

The boys finished their soup quickly and made their way out.

…

"What is all this uproar I hear in the city, Ravus? What could have possibly went so wrong while I was gone for only a few days?" Queen Sylva turned a quizzical look towards her son as she delicately took a seat upon her throne. She sighed wearily as she settled in. The trip to Midgar took a great deal out of her. She wasn't as young as she used to be.

Ravus smirked as he took his place, standing next to her. "Prince Noctis has been rather… unfaithful. And as a result, Altissia feels insulted that he wouldn't want our princess as his mate. I have to say, mother, I feel the same way."

Sylva's brows furrowed as she stared into her son's multi-colored eyes. "Is this really true? …Why has there been no word from Insomnia?"

Ravus smirked. "Oh, there _has_ been. Noctis had come here himself, along with a decent-sized entourage. But when faced with the weight of their negligent actions, he tried to run away with his tail between his legs, but I would have none of that. He's residing in one of our holding rooms until he can receive a proper trial."

Sylva gasped. "Ravus! You locked them up?"

"Well, he _tried_ , but he wasn't all too successful, seeing as we're all right here." Noctis' voice sounded out, loud and crisp and full of a held-back anger.

Ravus glared and tried to hide back his surprise as he watched Noctis and his retainers and kingsglaive walk up to the throne. "Breaking out? Yet another offense!" Ravus barked down at him.

Sylva raised a hand to he son's shoulder, wordlessly telling him to be silent. "Noctis. Things have changed drastically since the last time we met… I must say I'm rather surprised and taken aback by everything I'm hearing…"

Noctis stepped forwards a bit and bowed towards the queen. "My apologies, Queen Sylva. I came here because I wanted to explain what's going on. Nothing is really as it seems, like Ravus has told you."

Sylva motioned for Noctis to rise and gave her son a wary side-glance. "Okay, Noctis… Tell me your side of all this. But, do know that if it isn't convincing, with proof, I must stand by my son's decision…"

Noctis nodded, undeterred. "Of course."

"Then by all means, please proceed."

Noctis took a deep breath. Where should he even start? So much had happened since he had first seen the queen. He looked back to his friends and mate, who all gave him reassuring looks, before steeling himself and looking back to the queen. "Your Majesty. In the beginning, I had every intention of mating with Lunafreya. After all, she's been my friend for as long as I can remember. I would have been honored to have her." Sylva gave him a small smile at the praise of her daughter, which the prince returned. "But, not too long ago, Lunafreya told me about her visions. She told me that we weren't meant to be together, that the Gods were showing her visions of someone else that would become my mate. And so we decided it best not to follow this arrangement."

"…The Gods were showing her visions…? Of who?"

Noctis turned to meet Prompto's eyes. The blonde was shifting on his feet nervously, desperately trying to avoid any and all attention, but furrowed his brows once he realized there'd be no getting around it. The prince extended his hand, and Prompto bit his lip before nodding and taking it, allowing himself to be led out of the safety of the group and directly under Ravus and Sylva's scrutiny. The prince smiled as Prompto now stood next to him, albeit a nervous wreck, but his beloved mate all the same. "Prompto Argentum, your Majesty. Once my friend and retainer, now my mate and fellow Prince of Insomnia."

Ravus growled. "Lunafreya has soon no such visions. She would have told us! And you dare bring someone you mated in front of us?! You insult our queen, as well as my sister!"

"I didn't know you could see what visions I may or may not be having, Ravus. Dear me, am I _really_ the oracle? Or should you have been one in my stead?" Lunafreya's gentle voice rang out from the side, as she made her way into the room, followed by Gentiana. Her ocean-blue eyes scanned over her brother with malice and a clear intent of getting even and knocking his ego down a peg.

Ravus was visibly irked by her remark, as well as surprised that she had made it out of her guarded room. "Lunafreya. What are you doing here?"

The princess smirked. "What's wrong, brother? Upset that your little plans didn't go as you'd hoped?" She didn't miss the way her brother glared down at her. "I'm afraid a group of guards are nothing when confronted with a brave Nyx Ulric."

Ny smirked and gave a little wink in her direction when their eyes met briefly.

Sylva's eyes widened as she looked upon her only son. "Ravus! You locked Lunafreya up as well?! Have you gone mad?!"

The prince stayed silent, quietly seething. He had no answer for why he did that, other than simply wanting to ensure Noctis' defeat.

"He didn't want the truth coming out. He never wanted Noctis and I to mate. He still hated Regis ever since the last war. All of this is entirely due to his grudge against Insomnia… Little did he know, if he would have just talked to me about it like a _civilized_ person, he would have been notified of Noctis and I'm plan to cancel the arrangement."

Ravus looked to the ground, seeming rather guilty-looking. Indeed, he hadn't talked hi his sister at all about it. "…You used to be so enamored by him… I never thought about it being a possibility…", he admitted under his breath.

"Well, that's what happens when you plot with the chancellor to try and get what you want."

Once again, Queen Sylva's eyes widened. "The chancellor is in on this as well?!"

Noctis was the one to speak up this time. "Speaking of the chancellor, Ravus… I understand wanting to separate Luna and I- to an extent- but what you had him do to Prompto?! It's absolutely unforgivable."

Ravus looked genuinely perplexed. "…What he did to Prompto…? You mean the pictures in the tabloids…? I hardly think that did any more damage to him than it did you…"

Now it was everyone's turn to look perplexed. Noctis held onto Prompto's hand a little tighter as the blonde's eyes began to dart all over the room. "Wait, so… you _didn't_ tell Ardyn to attack Prompto…? To try to bond with him…?"

"What?! No! Never! I may have been scheming and plotting against you, but I certainly wouldn't stoop so low as to have someone forcibly remove Prompto as an option for you either. I've never even _met_ the boy until recently!"

Sylva's features formed into anger as she looed to her son. "Ravus. This is a rather serious accusation against the Chancellor."

"Let's ask the chancellor himself about all of this, shall we?" Lunafreya snapped her fingers and the accused man was led into the room, roughly being pushed around by guards.

Prompto shifted to move a little more behind Noctis, shielding himself from the alpha's vision.

Ardyn's face took on a wide grin as he looked directly at Prompto, despite the boy's attempts at hiding. " _Hello_ , love. I see you've finally bonded with your beloved _prince_. How _wonderful_ for you…" Prompto didn't say anything. He just glared at the man, icy and cold, behind his mate's body. At this, Ardyn scowled. "Don't act like you're above me now just because you _fucked_ yourself into royalty. Let's not forget all our romantic encounters, pet.", the chancellor spat, and Noctis growled.

"Romantic?! Hardly!" He turned his attention to Ravus and Sylva. "This lowly excuse for an alpha _forced_ himself on Prompto! All the while knowing _full_ well that Prompto was my retainer. I demand to have this man pay for his actions!"

Lunafreya moved next to Prompto, taking the blonde's other hand in her own. To this, the omega gasped and met her eyes. "I second that." She gave Prompto a reassuring glance and Prompto allowed a small, shy smile to grace his features.

Ardyn looked to Ravus with a sickeningly sweet smile and he talked in tone laced with false calm. "Prince Ravus, dear friend, all of this is a simple mistake, I assure you! He's making it all up! He was just as willing to partake in my romantics as I was to give it to him! You believe me, don't you…?"

Ravus sneered down at the chancellor, arms crossed. "I am not any friend of _yours_ , Ardyn. _Clearly_ you misunderstand our relationship, just as you misunderstood what I meant when I gave you the orders to break apart Noctis and my sister's mating… You brought this upon yourself. Even _I_ find acts of assault in horribly bad taste, and I do _not_ condone them…"

Ardyn's smile faltered for a moment before he hurriedly looked to the queen, bowing low. "Your Majesty! Please, I beg of you, let me go. I've been by your side all these long years! Have I not been the utmost help to you…?"

The queen spared the chancellor mere seconds of a look, her features calm and unreadable, before uttering, "Perhaps it is time I've gotten a new chancellor… You have served this family long enough, Ardyn Izunia. I don't want someone like yourself by me or my son's side."

Ardyn growled, trying his best to lash free from the guards' grasps as he desperately tried to lash out towards Prompto. " _You little whore_! How _dare_ you strip me of my position?! I'll kill you!"

" _Do_ shut him up, someone…" Ravus droned, almost as if he was bored with the eccentric man, and it only served to enrage the former-chancellor even more as one of the guards covered his mouth with a thick cloth, muffling his heated words to indistinct warbled sounds.

Queen Sylva shook her head in disbelief before focusing her attentions to Noctis. "On my son's behalf, I apologize deeply for his actions… After all of this, I will reconsider having Ravus take over the throne, at least momentarily, as I reteach him proper manners and respect towards others…" She cut her son a glare that even Luna couldn't help from cringing away from, and Ravus backed away slightly, looking at his feet, his face painted with shame. "…I assure you, we will assuage these nasty rumors going around. Personally, and thoroughly. I deeply apologize for what all of you have had to go through these past few days… I pray that the bond between our nations will continue to strengthen and flourish, even throughout these trying times…"

Noctis bowed. "We accept your apology, My Queen. Thank you very much. I would very much like to maintain good standing with Altissia."

As the prince straightened, the queen nodded, and gave him a warm smile before locking eyes with Prompto. "Prince Prompto Argentum, please accept my deepest apologies as well for the actions of my chancellor…"

Prompto tensed under her gaze and at having the queen calling him a prince, and he tried his best to stop his trembling. "A-apology accepted! Totally! Absolutely! I-I know it wasn't your fault!" The blonde stuttered.

"…I know that we can never undo anything he may have done to you, Prompto… But please… allow me the honor of letting you decide Ardyn's punishment…"

The entire group of friends started at hearing that, all looking to Prompto to gouge his reaction. The omega bit his lips, looking at the floor. He didn't expect so much pressure on him out of nowhere. Hell, he hadn't really even given what his punishment would be much thought. He had only tired not to think about that disgusting man. "T-thank you… Your Majesty. I-I don't really know what to say…"

"I got a good few suggestions. For one, let me alone in a room with him for five minutes." Gladio suggested, glaring at Ardyn and lightly punching his other palm as he stood there, the expression of a bloodthirsty wolf on his face.

Prompto couldn't help but smile at the shield, always one for improperly timed jokes. "No. Somehow that isn't enough."

"Whatever you decide, we will abide by, Prompto." Lunafreya whispered reassuringly to him and squeezed his hand.

"Yeah, Prom." Noctis smiled at him and shifted a little closer, touching shoulders with his lover. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to. If you can't decide on something, we'll just let the queen handle it."

Prompto took a steadying breath and looked at the man in question. Ardyn was glaring it him, sweating slightly with his effort, even still, at trying to escape the guards' clutches and get to the blonde. Even with the cloth covering the alpha's mouth, Prompto could still imagine the evil grin the man must be sporting. His body felt tingly all over. After all that had happened, he was finally in control of Ardyn. Not the other way around. Ardyn had to fear him. And it felt wonderful. "It's okay, Noct. I know what I want to do."

"Anything, just say the word." Sylva offered, smiling down at him comfortingly.

Prompto held Ardyn's gaze and gave the alpha a smirk of his own. "Altissia is home to the Leviathan… right?"

"Of course."

"And Lunafreya can talk to the Gods. She can awake in it for a time… right?"

"Naturally."

"I'm sure Gods get hungry occasionally, especially after sleeping for so long. Think it wants a snack?"

Ravus actually smiled at that, as Ardyn's face went pale, stilling for a moment before revamping his attempts at escape. "What a wonderful idea, Prompto. A very fitting punishment indeed."

"I agree." The queen nodded. "Guards. Lock this man away until tomorrow. No food or water, he won't need it soon enough anyways. Keep him contained until Lunafreya can awaken the Leviathan."

With that, the men did as they were told, dragging Ardyn away and ignoring his muffled screams and curses. With the chancellor's presence gone from the room, everyone visibly relaxed.

"Damn, Prom. Didn't know you had such an evil streak." Noctis teased, kissing the boy's temple and letting his hand go.

"I say, I rather like you, Prompto. I think we'll get along swimmingly." Luna laughed lightly as she also let go of his hand to place it gently on his shoulder, giving it a light pat. "Pardon the pun."

Ravus stepped down from his place next to his mother and stopped in front of the other three. "Please… allow me to apologize for my actions personally… I was incredibly out of line… I suppose you aren't as bad as I thought you'd be… The way you and your friends stood up to me is admirable."

Noctis gave a little half-shrub. "Thanks. Apology accepted, so long as you don't pull anything crazy again. We're both about to be kings. Let's talk our differences out, in the future." Noctis extended a hand and Ravus took it, shaking it with a firm grip.

"…I'd like that."

Nyx walked up to Lunafreya, rubbing the back of his neck nervously and trying to keep up his normal confident demeanor. "So, um. Luna. It was pretty fun, fighting all those guards alongside you last night."

The princess smiled. "Yes, it was. I haven't actually fought anything in ages."

Nyx smiled. "Well, um, if you ever want to spar or something. Or, you know, just hang out. That'd be cool. I know this really nice place that is basically one huge parkour course and I think you'd have fun."

The princess crossed her arms over her chest and smiled knowingly at the beta. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're asking me out on a date, Mr. Ulric."

The kingsglaive blushed and Noctis stared at the exchange, mouth falling open slightly with his surprise. "I suppose I am… That alright?"

Luna blushed. "More than alright. I'd love to."

Nyx smirked, standing up a little straighter. "Awesome."

"Ummmm when did _this_ become a thing?" Noctis asked, face barely hiding his confusion and disbelief.

Ignis chuckled, pushing his glasses up on his face. "Jealous, Noctis?"

Noctis frowned in a pout. "No! I'm not! It's just kinda- sudden?"

Gladiolus laughed. "You should have seen the two getting along so well at your ball."

Noctis rolled his eyes. "Umm _someone_ had me a little preoccupied with boring people…"

"Excuses, excuses…" the shield mumbled, though smiling wide at the exchange.

Ravus looked towards the man who was hitting on his sister. "I expect you to take the utmost care of her while you're out, Mr. Ulric… I may not get in the way of who my sister pursues anymore, but that doesn't mean my expectations are set any lower than before… I expect you to be a gentleman."

Nyx shrugged. "I do what I can. You'll find I can be quite charming."

The silver-haired man rolled his eyes slightly. "So I see…"

…

"Do travel carefully, on your way home! Gods know you've had enough trouble since coming here in the first place…" Luna teased as she watched the crew all pile into a limo.

"Well, the trip back should be a much more enjoyable one, thanks to your announcement this afternoon." Ignis quipped.

The two siblings had addressed the public shortly after settling everything, assuaging any ill will with the two countries, so now everything was peaceful and quiet once more, meaning there would be no more nasty whispers and stares.

Gladiolus grinned as Nyx didn't follow suit getting in the car, instead standing by Luna's side and waving goodbye to them. "Don't stay too long, Nyx. We got training together in a few days."

The beta smirked and winked at the larger man. "Of course, Big Guy. Wouldn't miss it."

"I suppose the next time I'll be seeing you is during your coronation in a few months, Noctis." Ravus interjected, giving the prince a firm handshake.

"Yeah, guess so. You gonna bring the twins?"

The silver-haired prince smiled. "Naturally. Aranea will love to show them off, I'm sure."

The Insomnian prince smiled. "Cool. See you guys then."

Prompto waved as the final door was closing. "Bye, guys! See ya around!"

The limo began slowly veering off onto the road, back towards the ferry and Prompto relaxed, laying against Noctis.

Noctis ran his fingers through Prompto's blonde hair, sighing contentedly. "You sure you don't wanna stick around to see Ardyn die?"

Prompto made a face. "No thanks… I'll leave all that to Luna and Ravus… I kinda just want to be done with him already…"

"I hear you…"

"Hey, Noct…? Do you think we can spend a little more time at Galdin Quay on our way back? I want to play in the ocean again."

The alpha smiled. "Of course, Prom. Anything for _the prince_."

The omega blushed. "Shut up, dude."

Ignis and Gladiolus just smiled fondly as they watched the two lovers, finally together, finally relaxed, and with only a future coronation and heirs to worry about.


	33. Chapter 32

Cape Caem was serene, calming, gorgeous. The morning sun rose slowly and beautifully over the ocean in the early morning. The sound of waves lapping gently at the shore filled the room through the open windows, curtains ruffling and swaying with the cool, salty breeze rolling in from the sea. Birds chirped in the distance, and the sound was lovely in Noctis' ears as it stirred him from his peaceful slumber. The king opened his eyes and breathed in a deep lung-full of sea air as he stretched his limbs like a cat from underneath the blankets.

" _You're_ up early. The sun hasn't even fully risen. I thought you were going to use this vacation to relax for once?" Prompto's chipper voice cut through Noctis' drowsiness with a light chuckle and the alpha looked over to the spot next to him, where Prompto was laying, playing King's Knight on his phone. No doubt the man had already been up for hours, like always, but couldn't have been bothered with getting out of bed. After all, they _were_ on vacation. No pressure or haste to go anywhere for once.

"Yeah, well, the fish bite better in the morning. I can't remember the last time I've fished…" Noctis smiled as he looked his mate over.

Five years hadn't changed Prompto all too much, surprisingly. His hair still maintained that fluffy bounciness, only added to it was now a small goatee that the blonde refused to give up, stating it was proof he could actually grow one. The omega had gained some pretty impressive muscle over the time he had been training alongside Noctis, Gladiolus, and Ignis, filling his body out nicely while retaining his lean stature. Prompto had a few faded scars to go along with his splash of freckles, gained from many hunts and missions alongside his friends.

Noctis looked lovingly to the bond mark on his lover's chest, bringing a hand up to delicately trace the teeth marks that had long since healed. With a contented sigh, his fingers traced lower, over the blonde's chest, down defined abs, to rest on the long scar across his lower abdomen, just above the waistband of his boxers. His fingers traced the C-section scar delicately as he looked into Prompto's bright eyes with a loving, sleepy smile.

"Oh, yeah! I forgot, today's the fated day, isn't it?" Prompto chuckled and moved slowly to straddle his mate, siting lightly over his hips and leaning down for a soft kiss.

Although Prompto hadn't changed too much in looks, Noctis looked like an almost entirely different person, but still hansom all the same. He had grown his blue-black hair a bit longer than he used to wear it, bangs needing to be frequently swooped out of the way. The king never gave in to Prompto's suggestion of slicking it back and out of his face, the alpha always saying he'd look too much like his father. Long gone were the little tufts of hair that always stuck out in the back, now grown out and falling in smooth wisps behind his head. Noctis's once smooth face was scruffy with a, short, well-trimmed beginnings of a beard that looked very nice and made him look only a little older than he actually was. He, too, had bulked up in muscle a bit, but even more so in tiredness nowadays.

Noctis sighed and brought Prompto in for another kiss, lips sliding together gently, languidly, before pulling apart. "Yep… _Someone's_ gotta teach her how to fish."

Prompto giggled. "And what if she _hates_ it? What if she's bored of it?"

Noctis playfully scoffed. "Well, she already has _your_ love for vegetables. Maybe in _this_ aspect she'll take after her father for once."

"Hey, _I'm_ her father, too!" Prompto pouted only half-heartedly and nuzzled Noctis' nose with his own.

Noctis ran his hands down Prompto's shoulders and sides to rest at his hips, pulling him into another lazy kiss. When they pulled away, Noctis looked away, a slight blush dusting over his cheeks as he cupped Prompto's face with a palm, rubbing a thumb over freckled cheekbones. "You know, Prom… Your heat will be coming up soon… How do you feel about having _another_ mini us running around…?"

Prompto's eyes lit up as he looked down on his mate, smiling wide. Of _course_ he wanted that. "I'd love it." The omega melted on top of his fellow king, snuggling deeper into the man's body warmth and loving embrace, lazily grinding his hips down on the other. "…Why wait for my heat? We can start right here, right now…" the blonde whispered into Noctis' ear, voice low and husky, before kissing his neck.

Noctis closed his eyes, holding his mate closer and rolling his hips up to meet Prompto's in another slow grind as that mouth lavished his skin. "Hmm, now _there's_ a good idea…"

Before either man could move forward with that plan, there was the sound of fast, light footsteps outside of their door, followed by louder, heavier ones.

" _Princess, wait! You haven't even finished your breakfast yet!_ "

Prompto sat up on top of Noctis, turning his head towards the door behind him as Noctis moved to peer around the blonde, a large smile forming on his face. "Speaking of a mini us…"

Both boys chuckled as the door flew open with a rough push and a little girl ran into the room. She was four years old, and looked to be the spitting image of the two lovers. Her short, dark hair was just long enough to be able to be tied off on the sides in little pigtails just beneath her ears. The little wisps at the ends twisted and curled. Her side-swept bangs jutted out a little, unable to be contained. Her eyes were large and a bright, bright blue, eyebrows sharp, skin pale and dusted with the lightest beginnings of freckles. She smiled a wide, toothy grin at her fathers and Prompto lifter her up, settling her in front of him, on top of Noctis.

"Good morning, Dahlia." Noctis greeted as she leaned forward and threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

"Morning, Daddy!"

Ignis stepped into the room not too far behind her, folding his arms over his chest and sighing. He still looked every bit as he had years before, if only a little more tired. "I apologize, Highness. She has a lot of energy this morning."

Prompto scooped Dahlia up against his chest into a tight hug that had the little girl giggling. "It's cool, Iggy. Thanks for making her breakfast."

"Uncle Iggy let me flip the pancakes!" She beamed at the two of them, and her smile was infectious, causing even the advisor's lips to turn upward into a small smile.

"Oh, _yeah_?" Noct asked, ruffling his daughter's hair. "And how did _that_ go?"

"There's _quite_ the mess on the stovetop. I daresay, I'll be cleaning the kitchen for a while..." Ignis quipped, pushing his glasses up his nose. "But that comes with the territory, I suppose. One doesn't make a pancake without breaking a few eggs, as it were."

Prompto laughed. "Well, let's hope she does better at fishing."

Dahlia's face lit up as she looked down at Noctis. "We're gonna _fish_ today, daddy?!"

Noctis smiled. "Only if the two of you get _off_ me!", he teased, acting as if he was being crushed beneath them, and Prompto rolled the two of them off the other man in a fit of giggles and tickles.

 **..**

Prompto relaxed under the umbrella-covered table as he sat on the deck, overlooking the rocky shoreline and ocean. He smiled as he watched Noctis and Regis on the dock further out, teaching Dahlia how to cast her line, laughing when her first attempt had the hook tangling in Regis' grey hair.

It was nice, being able to see Regis so relaxed. Shortly after Noctis took the throne, he retired from the Citadel to the little mansion by the lighthouse, where they currently were vacationing. Regis had been doing wonderfully, being able to stay off his bad leg more often and being able to fish as he pleased. Prompto couldn't help but picture Noctis and he doing the same thing one day, once Dahlia or another one of their future children eventually takes the throne. No obligations and deadlines and peace-keeping. Just the endless ocean, photo opts, fishing, and relaxing all day and night. Perhaps even Ignis and Gladiolus would move in as well? It was still a long ways away, but Prompto looked forward to it whole-heartedly.

Gladiolus sat next to Prompto, book in hand as always. The man's face sported another scar across his forehead to go along with the one over his eye, and his hair had grown out significantly, the shield choosing nowadays to pull it back in a loose ponytail. Years of being mostly shirtless had only darkened the tan along his tattooed skin. The beginnings of a five o'clock shadow graced his upper lip and chin. He looked a little rougher and even more hansom than he used to look, Prompto had to admit.

"Sure is a little spitfire, that one." The alpha commented as he watched Dahlia and Noctis laugh as Regis attempted to get the lure out of his hair. Shortly after, Noctis fixed her line and allowed Dahlia to try again, this time with much more success. The lure actually made contact with the water.

Prompto raised his trusty camera to his face, the same one Noct had bought him all those years ago, snapping away and capturing the precious moment before it left. "Sure is! I can't even tell who she's more like nowadays."

The shield grinned at his blonde king. "Does it _matter_?"

Prompto returned the look, momentarily putting his camera away. "Nah, of course not! I'd love _all_ my kids, no matter _who_ they did or didn't take after." The mens' attention was drawn away from their conversation momentarily as they heard Noctis and Regis' excited voices raising, instructing Dahlia on what to do as she began reeling in her first catch. Regis looked even more excited than Noctis, if that was even possible.

"Look, look, I got a _big_ one! It's _huuugee_!" The little princess yelled, hopping up and down with excitement as her father unhooked her fish for her. In reality, it was really a puny guppy, barely able to feed even one person fully, but Prompto smiled fondly and felt his heart flutter in his chest as Noctis pretended to balk at the fish, making a show out of how 'big' it was to Regis and giving it back to Dahlia to place in their little cooler. Noctis looked to Prompto and caught his eyes, giving his mate a warm smile and blowing Prompto a kiss before setting up another line for their daughter.

Prompto made a show of 'catching' the kiss and holding it to his heart, rolling his eyes playfully and shaking his head at the fellow king's antics. His mate was so cute, _way_ cuter than normal, after becoming a father. With a contented sigh, he turned back to Gladiolus, starting back up their previous conversation. "…Noctis wants to have another kid, and I gotta admit, seeing him like this all the time, with Dahlia, it makes me _really_ want another too." There was a wistful, dreamy tone to the blonde's voice, and it made Gladiolus smile.

"Oh, _geez_! Ignis is gonna have his hands full, _that's_ for sure! Not that they aren't full already, watching over the three of _you_!" He bellowed out a hearty laugh, slapping a large hand on Prompto's shoulder.

" _Speaking of Ignis_ …" Prompto leaned in closer to the man, a mischievous grin spreading along his face. "When are you guys gonna… _you know_ …" The alpha watched as the omega wiggled his eyebrows teasingly at him, much like the shield used to do, and made slightly vulgar motions with his hands, resembling sexual intercourse. Gladiolus' face heated up brightly and he reverted his eyes, trying his best to focus on his book and failing.

It was no secret to anyone now that Gladiolus and Ignis had become quite the item over the past year. Apparently, during Ignis' last birthday, the shield had taken him out bar hopping and the advisor drunkenly admitted his attraction to him before the end of the night and that maybe all those 'accidental' cockblocks weren't so accidental. It led to the shield pulling him in closely for a heated kiss and offering to give an actual relationship a try. After all, Ignis deserved more than just a drunken romp. He was closer to the alpha than that. More important. And even after all those months that followed the confession, the two of them had been moving incredibly slow. Possibly because Gladiolus didn't want to ruin things with rushing into sex, since it was going so well. In any case, Ignis seems fine with the pace.

The alpha cleared his throat, struggling to meet his king's gaze. "None of your business. It's a work in progress. We'll get to it when we get to it."

Prompto just rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair, resting his head against the palms of his hands. "Never known you to be anyone to hold back with people you liked, Big Guy… You usually always hop into bed as soon as you can with any good-looker that gives you even a _hint_ of attention!"

The brunette's blush deepened, remembering how he used to be. "Yeah, well… Iggy is- different. He's special... I'm waiting for the right moment…"

The blonde laughed. "Gotcha. Well. I'm rootin' for ya, buddy."

"Thanks..."

As if on que, Ignis walked up and kissed his lover's temple in greeting, taking a seat beside Gladio and resting a gloved hand on the man's tattooed forearm. The advisor quirked a brow and gave Gladiolus a quizzative stare when he noticed the rare, out-of-place blush on the man's face. "…What are we talking about over here?"

Gladiolus swallowed loudly and buried his nose into his book. "Nothing, Iggy!"

Prompto just chuckled and shrugged when Ignis looked at him, confused as ever. "Don't ask me, dude! Consider me clueless!"

"The two of you can be incredibly strange sometimes, I swear…"

…

"Daddy, look what Uncle Gladdy taught me!" Dahlia waved from her location on the beach, arms flailing about wildly as she gathered the attention of Noctis from across the beach.

"I'm watching, baby, I promise!" The king called from his seat on the dock, putting away his fishing rod momentarily so that he could pay full attention to his daughter.

Dahlia picked up her training bow and got into a stance, aided by some positioning help from Gladiolus, and shot an arrow to land in a tree not too far away. Gladiolus picked her up shortly afterwards, throwing her in the air and catching her with ease as he let out a playful roar as she laughed.

"Good job, baby! You get that evil tree! Show it who's boss!" Noctis called, watching Gladiolus set the girl down. The little princess ran over to Prompto, standing not too far away, taking photos. The blonde lowered his camera and roared playfully at her, joining Gladiolus in a playful chase as the pretended to be behemoths chasing their prey. Dahlia picked up one of her wooden training swords and stood fearless, pointing it at the two, in which they playfully cowered and ran away from afterwards as this time it was the princess' turn to chase.

Noctis watched the scene, smiling wide, love and warmth welling up inside of him, threatening to spill over. He watched Dahlia tackle Prompto, pretending to defeat him, laying a finishing blow, and the blonde made a big show of 'dying', Gladiolus vowing to avenge his death. " _Gods_ , I love the two of them so much…", he whispered to himself.

Noctis was so enamored by the scene that he barely noticed as Ignis walked over and sat next to him, can of ebony in hand and feet dangling off the dock and into the cool ocean water alongside his king's. "She's a great shot, just like her father.", the advisor commented, taking a small sip of his beverage and watching Gladiolus get struck down with a toy battle axe.

"She sure is…" The king sighed happily and turned back towards the ocean, watching the waves roll in and feeling the warm breeze on his skin. "How are things with you and Gladio?"

Ignis blushed slightly. " _Very_ well, Highness, thank you for asking. He's actually quite the gentleman, much to my own disbelief. He's being very considerate."

"You gonna bond with him any time soon?", the alpha asked, giving the beta a playful elbow to the ribs.

Ignis took another sip of his ebony, his blush spreading further. "Actually… I was thinking about asking him tonight. We've been seeing each other for a while, and I must say, I think I've fallen rather hard… I think I had fallen long before now, back when we were teenagers…"

Noctis smirked. "He's gonna be pretty happy, I bet. Just do us all a favor and keep it down?" the king laughed as his advisor scoffed.

"The two of you hardly kept it down when you were bonding with each other, Highness."

"Yeah, well, now there's a _kid_ sleeping not too far away from all of us, sooo… Yeah. Unless you care to give _another_ kid a talk about the birds and the bees…"

The beta rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't even _dream_ of being so scandalous, Noctis... I'm merely going to _ask_ him tonight, not _go through_ with it just yet… If he agrees, we'll just wait until after this vacation, when we're back at the castle…"

"Special delivery!" Gladiolus called as he walked up next to the two, pulling the little princess from where she was riding on the shield's shoulders and into Noctis' arms.

The king hugged her tightly. "Hey, Princess!"

Prompto walked up not too far behind Gladiolus, grinning as he flipped through the most recent photos on his camera. "You're getting better every day, sweetheart!"

"Yeah?!" Dahlia looked excited as she clung to Noctis' neck. "Good enough to go hunting with you and Daddy?!"

Gladiolus snorted and ruffled the little girl's hair. "You still got a _loooong_ way to go before _that_ happens, kid."

"Awww…" Dahlia puffed out her cheeks in an adorably distraught pout, but the look was wiped away shortly after as her gaze turned to the ocean. "Look, it's Aunt Luna and Uncle Ravus!" She pointed a little finger in that direction, the other men turning to follow where it was pointing.

Sure enough, a yacht was getting closer over the horizon, the forms of Luna and Ravus growing more noticeable as the boat inched closer to their dock.

…

"Luna! Good to see you!" Prompto greeted as the princess slowly made her way off the boat to pull him into a tight hug.

The woman was all grace, a vision in white, as always, though the alpha was dressed rather casually for once. Her hair, where most of the boys had chosen to grow theirs out, was cut fairly shorter and different than she used to have it, the silky platinum strands cut just beneath the shoulders and incredibly straight, with side-swept bangs. Her maxi dress did little to cover her bond mark on her shoulder, which she wore proudly. Prompto had to be careful not to smoosh her protruding stomach as they hugged. After all, the woman _was_ rather pregnant, her many years of trying for a child finally bearing fruit.

"Hey, where's _my_ hug?" Nyx asked, exiting the boat behind his mate.

Noctis smirked and gripped the former-kingsglaive's hand, pulling the man into a hug with his other, patting him on his muscular back. "Good to see you after all this time, Nyx. It's been, what, three years or so?"

The beta smiled. "Yeah, that sounds about accurate."

"Uncle Nyx! Aunt Luna! You came!" Dahlia scrambled out of Prompto's arms and ran towards the two, hugging their legs tightly as she smiled up at them.

"Of course, sweetie. We'd _never_ miss your birthday!" Luna knelt down to rub the little princess' dark hair and gently pinch a freckled cheek. "You are absolutely _precious_!"

Dahlia beamed up at the lovely woman. "Didja get me a present?!"

Prompto furrowed his brows and crossed his arms. "Dahlia, it's _rude_ to demand presents minutes after seeing them."

"Yeah, you'll get your presents after dinner and cake." Noctis added, shaking his head. "What do you say…?"

"Oh!- Um. I'm sorry, Aunt Luna. Sorry Uncle Nyx. I didn't mean to be rude." The girl shifted on her feet and fiddled with the bottom of her shirt, looking up at the couple and looking utterly adorable and innocent.

Nyx laughed as he and Luna made their way off the dock and towards the shore and the deck of the mansion, where Regis was helping Ignis cook fish and vegetable kebabs on the grill. "Don't worry, squirt. We got you something _real_ nice. Promise." He gave her a thumbs-up and she returned it.

Next off the boat was Aranea. Her flat stomach had finally returned, shown off by the black crop top she wore, paired wit her black, low-rise jeans and heels. Her hair fell down her back in one long, thick braid, reaching just above her waistline.

"Well, fuck me sideways! Is that Noctis and Prompto I see?" the female omega smirked, opening her arms to pull the two men into a hug.

Prom patted her gently on the back. "Hey, Aranea. How was the trip?"

"Well, it certainly did my complexion no favors. How is it so hot out here? I swear, I'm gonna burn to a crisp before nightfall!" The woman teased, pulling away from the two. She looked down and smiled at Dahlia. "Hey, girlie. How are you?"

The little princess smiled shyly up at the ex-hunter, clinging to Noctis' leg. "I'm good, Mrs. Aranea. How are you?"

" _Far_ too sober." She laughed and made her way to join Luna and Nyx. "Got any alcohol?"

"Yeah, we do. Ask Gladio to show you where." Prompto provided.

"On it!"

Finally, Ravus departed from the yacht, his twin sons in tow behind him. Ravus looked to me much the same as always, though it was incredibly strange to see him out of his normal, long, white coat. Instead he wore dark jeans, sneakers, and a white polo shirt, a tiny, intricate black pattern stitched into it.

"Good evening.", the fellow king greeted the Insomnian ones, and he stopped to kneel in front of Dahlia, taking her small hand into his own and kissing the back of it. "My Princess."

Dahlia smiled and pulled her hand away bashfully. "Hey, Mr. Ravus."

The silver-haired man straightened back up and nudged his boys to be front and center. "Boys, what do you say to the princess?"

Aerus and Vor were already pretty tall for their young age, only a few years older than Dahlia, and damned near identical. Aerus had blue eyes, while Vor had purple. Each boy had hair styled back, out of their faces, with a side part, mirror images of one another. Aerus' hair was a grey-brown like their mother's, and Vor's hair was a silvery white like their father's. They each stood with wonderful posture, backs straight and heads high, graceful like Ravus, and each boy held a small present in their hands, which Noctis and Prompto received gratefully.

Both of them bowed low to Dahlia. "Good evening, Princess Dahlia.", they greeted in unison.

The little princess blushed. "H-Hello..."

Vor smiled and puffed out his chest, hands on his hips. "I hope you like my present! I picked it out for you, all by myself!"

Aerus furrowed his brows and crossed his arms, looking towards his twin. "No, she's going to like _my_ present more! I picked it out too, especially for her!"

"We'll see. No matter whose present she likes more, she's going to be my mate in the end."

"Like hell she will! Dahlia has always liked _me_ more. She's obviously going to choose _me_ as her mate!"

Ravus sighed, rolling his eyes slightly. "There they go again… I swear, they can barely go ten minutes without competing with one another…"

Noctis and Prompto smiled, and the blonde picked his blushing daughter up, resting her at his hip. "Well, that's to be expected, with identical twins."

"Yeah, Ravus. Especially considering they have half of Aranea's DNA in them… They're bound to be a handful."

"Tell me about it…" Ravus agreed. "Come on, boys. You can try to woo the princess when you're older. For now, play nice. Or you aren't getting any cake after dinner.

That seemed to shut the boys up real quick, and everyone went to gather around the back deck where dinner was being served.

…

" _HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAHLIA!_ "

Everyone congratulated the little princess in unison as the girl blew out the candles. Everyone clapped when she was finished and Ignis went to cut the cake. Prompto took plenty of pictures, not being able to stop from tearing up as he realized another year of his daughter's life fly by right before his eyes. Noctis pulled him close, rubbing his hand soothingly up and down his back.

"Awe, babe, it's okay…" Noctis cooed, whispering little comforts to his mate and kissing his hair.

Prompto smiled, wiping away a tear from his cheek as their little girl dug into her slice of cake, fork looking entirely too large in her little hand. "I know, I know… Gods, I told myself I wouldn't get so emotional today…"

Luna laughed from next to the two of them, placing a hand on her swollen belly. "I think it's _wonderful_. I can't wait to be a mother... I feel like I've waited _forever_!"

Aranea smirked, raising her drink to her lips in a long, deep gulp. "You say that now, but just wait until the kid's sitting on your damned bladder and you feel like you've gotta pee every five minutes!"

The group laughed and enjoyed their cake as Regis began allowing Dahlia to open her presents. The little princess received many wonderful things. New clothes from Lunafreya, a fishing pole from Regis, a gorgeous, jeweled tiara and necklace from Vor and Aerus, a camera from Prompto, a punching bag from Gladiolus, custom engraved oven mitts from Ignis, beautiful Galahdian hair accessories from Nyx, and an actual fucking lance, sharp and everything, of course from Aranea. That present got put away, for later use, when the girl was actually old enough to begin training with real weapons.

Last but not least came Noctis' present. The king walked up to his daughter, his hands behind his back. "Are you ready for your present, little one?"

The freckled princess beamed, jumping up and down in place as she looked up at her father. "Yes! Yes!"

Noctis chuckled. "Okay, close your eyes and hold out your arms."

Dahlia did as she was told eagerly, and Noctis placed the thick, feathery mass in her hands. "Okay, open."

When the girl opened her eyes, they were wide and sparkling with happiness as she looked down at the adorable baby chocobo in her arms, squawking and flapping its little wings happily. " _Really_ Daddy?! I can keep her?!"

Noctis smiled. "Of course! It's for _you_ , after all. But it _has_ to stay here with Grandad. You can come visit it, and when it's big enough, we'll give you riding lessons."

The princess snuggled close to it, grinning from ear to ear. The bird was pitch black, with glossy black eyes. The spitting image of Missy, if Missy had been a baby. Noctis and Prompto had picked her out especially for that reason. "I'm gonna call her Shadow!"

Prompto smiled, giving the little chocobo a scratch under the beak. "That's a great name, sweetie. Want to go play with her?"

"Yeah!"

…

The sun was setting much too soon, it seemed. In to time at all the party was wrapping up, half the group boarding the yacht to make their way back towards Altissia. Everyone said their goodbyes, and then it was time for bed. Prompto carried their daughter inside, the little princess already fast asleep and drooling against his freckled shoulder, little arms wrapped loosely around his neck.

Noctis watched from the door frame as Prompto carefully laid their daughter in her bed, tucking her in and giving her a small kiss on the forehead. "She had a full day today. I'm surprised she didn't knock out sooner.", the alpha joked.

Prompto sighed happily as they made their way out of her room and into their own. "We certainly made something special, didn't we?"

As soon as they were in their room, Noctis pulled Prompto close, bodies flush against each other and foreheads touching. "We sure did, babe."

Prompto smiled, pressing his lips to Noctis', angling his head to deepen the kiss, opening himself for his fellow king's exploring tongue. They made slow work of taking each other's clothes off until they were in only their boxers, hands dancing along each other's skin. When they pulled away, they were slightly out of breath and panting against each other's skin. Noctis placed a hand to cup Prompto's face lovingly, his other hand wrapping around the blonde's waist, tugging him closer. "I love you, Prom."

Prompto smiled up at his mate, eyes mirroring every ounce of love and affection that shown in his alpha's. "I love you too, Noct. Always."

Noctis kissed Prompto once more, easily guiding them to the bed until they fell on top of it, a mess of limbs and sultry kisses. "Now… Let's start where we left off this morning… You still want me to put another heir in you, Prom?"

Prompto smirked up at his fellow king. "Oh, _absolutely._ "

Because after all, in this perfect, happy little family, the more the merrier.


End file.
